Full text of "Pepper & salt; or, Seasoning for young folk"

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__ way fhat °ne in Cap and/Vfley 6 tops for

awKile/ alon£ fhe 5tony Pafh of Life to make you laugK •

BOOKS BY
HOWARD PYLE

THE RUBY OF KISHMOOR. Illustrated
THE ROSE OF PARADISE. Illustrated
REJECTED OF MEN
THE WONDER CLOCK. Illustrated
MEN OF IRON. Illustrated
PEPPER AND SALT. Illustrated
STOLEN TREASURE. Illustrated
A MODERN ALLADIN. Illustrated
TWILIGHT LAND. Illustrated
ADVENTURES OF PIRATES

HARPER & BROTHERS, PUBLISHERS, N. Y.

ERE, my little man, you may hold my cap and bells,
-and you, over there, may hold the bauble ! Now,
then, I am ready to talk as a wise man should, and am a giddy-pated jester no longer !

This is what I have to say :

One must have a little pinch of seasoning in this dull, heavy life of ours ; one should
never look to have all the troubles, the labors, and the cares, with never a whit of
innocent jollity and mirth. Yes ; one must smile now and then, if for nothing else
than to lift the corners of the lips in laughter that are only too often dragged down
in sorrow.

It is for this that I sit here now, telling you all manner of odd quips and jests until
yon sober, wise man shakes his head and goes his way, thinking that I am even more
of a shallow -witted knave than I really am. But, prut! Who cares for that? I am
sure that I do not if you do not.

Yet listen ! One must not look to have nothing but pepper and salt in this life of
ours — no, indeed ! At that rate we would be worse off than we are now. I only mean
that it is a good and pleasant thing to have something to lend the more solid part a
little savor now and then !

So, here I'll sit ; and, perhaps, when you have been good children, and have learned
your lessons or done your work, your mother will let you come and play a little while
with me. I will always be ready and waiting for you here, and I will warrant your

Vlll

PREFACE.

mother that I will do you no harm with anything that I may tell you. If I can only
make you laugh and be merry for a little while, then my work will be well done, and I
will be glad in the doing of it.

And now give me my cap and bells again, for my wits are growing cold without
them ; and you will be pleased to reach me my bauble once more, for I love to have
him by me.

Will you be seated ? And you, over there, seat the baby on the grass ! Are you
ready? Very well; then I will tell you a story, and it shall be about "The Skillful
Huntsman."

Table -of -Contents-

H»P.

THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMAN .

Two OPINIONS

YE SONG OF YE FOOLISH OLD WOMAN
A NEWSPAPER PUFF . . .

CLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL STAFF

THREE FORTUNES

VENTURESOME BOLDNESS

SUPERFICIAL CULTURE

PAGE

9
ii

25
27
29

HOW DAME MARGERY TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD

FOR HER . . . 31

YE SONG OF YE GOSSIPS 41

A VICTIM TO SCIENCE 43

PLAY AND EARNEST 45

CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES

THE ACCIDENT OF BIRTH

YE ROMANTIC ADVENTURES OF THREE TAILORS .

FANCY AND FACT

HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK . Y . .

YE Two WISHES .

A VERSE WITH A MORAL, BUT NO NAME . ,,

YE SONG OF YE RAJAH AND YE FLY . .

FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART . . . ;>•

PRIDE IN DISTRESS ......

PROFESSION AND PRACTICE _..

A TALE OF A TUB

57
59
61

85
87
89

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE

YE STORY OF A BLUE CHINA PLATE .
MORAL BLINDNESS . . .
OVERCONFIDENCE

PAGE

IOI

103
105

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT . . . . . . * -.

THE FORCE OF NEED . . ... « ' .,..',. . . . .

A DISAPPOINTMENT . . . ...--. . . . . *

YE SAD STORY CONCERNING ONE INNOCENT LITTLE LAMB AND FOUR WICKED

WOLVES . . 121

107
117
119

PAGE

THIS is THE WAY THAT ONE IN CAP AND MOTLEY STOPS FOR A WHILE ALONG THE )

> Frontispiece
STONY PATH OF LIFE TO MAKE YOU LAUGH )

JACOB'S MOTHER AND THE HERR MAYOR 2

JACOB AND THE RED ONE 3

JACOB SHOOTS AT THE MAGPIE . . . 4

JACOB AND THE MAGIC PLOUGH 5

JACOB AND THE RED ONE GO HUNTING TOGETHER 6

JACOB AND GRETCHEN GET THE BEST OF THE RED ONE AND GO HOME TOGETHER HAPPILY 7

Two OPINIONS 9

YE SONG OF YE FOOLISH OLD WOMAN 1 1

A NEWSPAPER PUFF 13

CLAUS AND THE MASTER OF BLACK ARTS 16

CLAUS AND THE WHITE SNAKE 17

THE MASTER is ANGRY 18

CLAUS LISTENS TO THE TALK OF THE TWO RAVENS . . -19

CLAUS AND THE MANIKIN . . _• 20

HANS DISCOVERS CLAUS'S LUCK 21

How HANS WAS CAUGHT , 22

THREE FORTUNES .".'.. . . 25

VENTURESOME BOLDNESS .27

SUPERFICIAL CULTURE . . . . . .' 29

DAME TWIST DRINKETH TEA . . . . . ..-..• 32

THE LITTLE MAN AND THE GREAT HORSE . . . . * . . ... .33

DAME TWIST VISITS A STRANGE PATIENT . . • . , . . . . • . . . . 34

DAME TWIST DRIVES AWAY THE LITTLE FOLKS . . » . . ....'.. 35

DAME MARGERY Twr^r GOETH TO SEE THE MERRY DOINGS AT THE FAIR . . . . 36

DAME TWIST SEES THE LITTLE MAN IN GREEN FOR THE LAST TIME . . . V . 37

YE SONG OF YE GOSSIPS . . .. . 41

xii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

A VICTIM TO SCIENCE 43

PLAY AND EARNEST . . -, •'•„ . . f . .45

CLEVER PETER AND THE LITTLE GENTLEMAN IN BLACK . . .49

CLEVER PETER RIDES TO THE KING'S PALACE UPON HIS FINE HORSE '. . . . .50
PETER EATS WITH THE KING AND PRINCESS . x. . . . • •/ • • 51

CLEVER PETER AND THE UNLUCKY BOTTLE ."..'.."•. ... v *•* . .53

CLEVER PETER OPENS THE UNLUCKY BOTTLE FOR THE KING AND PRINCESS . . . -54

THE ACCIDENT OF BIRTH .... . .57

YE ROMANTIC ADVENTURES OF THREE TAILORS . . . . . >,..'. . .59

FANCY AND FACT . . . . . .61

HANS HECKLEMANN * . . .64

CATHERINE 64

HANS HECKLEMANN GOES TO THE COTTAGE OF THE OLD WISE WOMAN IN SEARCH OF HIS

LUCK ;-..:. . . .65

HANS HECKLEMANN AND THE OLD WISE WOMAN . . . ... . . .66

HANS FINDS HIS LUCK . .67

HANS HECKLEMANN PLOUGHS FOR GOLD ^ . . 6S

YE Two WISHES ' . ' . . . . . .71

A VERSE WITH A MORAL, BUT NO NAME .......*.... 73

/•

YE SONG OF YE RAJAH AND YE FLY . . . , . ..,'"... . .75

FARMER GEORGIE GRIGGS . . . » . . . ; . , . .78

DAME M ALLY, GRIGGS . \ ,~" . - . . . . . . . . . . 79

FARMER GRIGGS AND THE BOGGART . . ...",. . . . . .80

THE DEPARTURE . V ... . , . • . . .^ . . . . . . 81

FARMER GRIGGS AND THE WISE MAN . . . . ,.. - '. . . . . . .82

THE BOGGART REJOICES . .. . . , ...» .' 83

PRIDE IN DISTRESS .' . . • . '. . . 85

PROFESSION AND PRACTICE \ . . . . .' .87

A TALE OF A TUB . . .. . . . ^ . , . . .... .89

YE KING . . .-..,. . . .92

PRINCE JOHN . . . . . . . . . . 92

THE PRINCE AIDS THE OLD WOMAN . . .... . . . . . -. . 93

THE GREAT UGLY TROLL FINDS THE PRINCE BY THE FIRE .. .- 94

THE GOOSE-HERD AND HER DAUGHTER MEET THE PRINCESS AT THE ROADSIDE . . .95
THE PRINCE LOOKS THROUGH THE MAGIC KEY . . . . ' . . . . * "- . 96

THE OLD KING REJOICES AT HIS NEW DAUGHTER-IN-LAW . ... . . . . 97

YE STORY OF A BLUE CHINA PLATE . . . . . , . , . . r. " . . 101

MORAL BLINDNESS > - „" " '- . '\^ . . 103

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Xlll

PAGE

OVERCONFIDENCE . . . . ". V . . • • ' 4. . . . . . . .105

THE LITTLE MAN ASKS FOR HIS CAP . . . . ~ 108

CHRISTINE AND THE APPLE . ... . 109

CHRISTINE'S MOTHER AND SISTERS WISH FOR THE APPLE , no

THE KING REACHES FOR THE APPLE . m

THE KING TALKS WITH THE WISE MAN 112

THE KING'S STEWARD AND CHRISTINE .113

CHRISTINE GIVES THE APPLE TO THE KING 114

THE FORCE OF NEED . .117

A DISAPPOINTMENT 119

YE SAD STORY CONCERNING ONE INNOCENT LITTLE LAMB AND FOUR WICKED WOLVES 121

Showing how a man may gain
ye best ofye Bargain with
yeRedOnebyye
help of his
wife

NCE UPON A TIME there was a lad named Jacob Boehm, who was a
practical huntsman.

One day Jacob said to his mother, " Mother, I would like to marry Gret-
chen — the nice, pretty little daughter of the Herr Mayor."

Jacob's mother thought that he was crazy. " Marry the daughter of the Herr Mayor,
indeed! You want to marry the daughter of the Herr Mayor? Listen; many a man
wants and wants, and nothing comes of it!"

That was what Jacob Boehm's mother said to him.

But Jacob was deaf in that ear; nothing would do but his mother must go to the Herr
Mayor, and ask for leave for him to marry Gretchen. And Jacob begged and begged so
prettily that at last his mother promised to go and do as he wished. So off she went,
though doubt was heavy in her shoes, for she did not know how the Herr Mayor would
take it.

" So Jacob wants to marry Gretchen, does he ?" said the Herr Mayor.

Yes ; that was what Jacob wanted.

" And is he a practical huntsman ?" said the Herr Mayor.

Oh yes, he was that.

" So good," said the Herr Mayor. " Then tell Jacob that when he is such a clever
huntsman as to be able to shoot the whiskers off from a running hare without touching
the skin, then he can have Gretchen."

Then Jacob's mother went back home again. " Now," said she, "Jacob will, at least, be
satisfied."

" Yes," said Jacob, when she had told him all that the Herr Mayor had said to her, " that
is a hard thing to do; but what one man has done, another man can." So he shouldered
his gun, and started away into the world to learn to be as clever a huntsman as the Herr
Mayor had said.

He plodded on and on uptil at last he fell in with a tall stranger dressed all in red.

"Where are you going, Jacob?" said the tall stranger, calling him by his name, just as if
he had eaten pottage out of the same dish with him.

PEPPER AND SALT.

" I am. .going/' said- -Jacob, " to learn to be so clever a huntsman that I can shoot the
whisk:eYs; 6ft1 'from* a ''running hare without touching the skin."

" That is a hard thing to learn," said the tall stranger.

Yes; Jacob knew that it was a hard thing; but what one man had done another man
could do.

" What will you give me if I teach you to be as clever a huntsman as that ?" said the
tall stranger.

" What will you take to teach me ?" said Jacob ; for he saw that the stranger had a
horse's hoof instead of a foot, and he did not like his looks, I can tell you.

" Oh, it is nothing much that I want," said the tall man ; " only just sign your name to
this paper — that is all."

But what was in the paper? Yes; Jacob had to know what was in the paper before
he would set so much as a finger to it.

Oh, there was nothing in the paper, only this : that when the red one should come for
Jacob at the end of ten years' time, Jacob should promise to go along with him whitherso-
ever he should take him.

At this Jacob hemmed and hawed and scratched his head, for he did not know about
that. "All the same," said he, " I will sign the paper, but on one condition."

At this the red one screwed up his face as though he had sour beer in his mouth, for he
did not like the sound of the word " condition." " Well," said he, " what is the condition ?"

" It is only this," said Jacob : " that you shall be my servant for the ten years, and if, in

THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMAN. 3

all that time, I should chance to ask you a question that you cannot answer, then I am to
be my own man again."

Oh, if that was all, the red man was quite willing for that.

Then he took Jacob's gun, and blew down into the barrel of it. " Now," said he, " you
are as skillful a huntsman as you asked to be."

" That I must try," said Jacob. So Jacob and the red one went around hunting here
and hunting there until they scared up a hare. " Shoot !" said the red one ; and Jacob
shot. Clip ! off flew the whiskers of the hare as neatly as one could cut them off with the
barber's shears.

" Yes, good !" said Jacob, " now I am a skillful huntsman."

Then the stranger in red gave Jacob a little bone whistle, and told him to blow in it
whenever he should want him. After that Jacob signed the paper, and the stranger went
one way and he went home again.

Well, Jacob brushed the straws off from his coat, and put a fine shine on his boots, and
then he set off to the Herr Mayor's house.

" How do you find yourself, Jacob ?" said the Herr Mayor.

" So good," said Jacob.

"And are you a skillful huntsman now?" said the Herr Mayor.

Oh yes, Jacob was a skillful huntsman now.

Yes, good ! But the Herr Mayor must have proof of that. Now, could Jacob shoot a
feather out of the tail of the magpie flying over the trees yonder?

Oh yes! nothing easier than that. So Jacob raised the gun to his cheek. Bang! went
2

PEPPER AND SALT.

the gun, and down fell a feather from the tail of the magpie. At this the Herr Mayor stared
and stared, for he had never seen such shooting.
" And now may I marry Gretchen ?" said Jacob.

At this the Herr Mayor scratched his head, and hemmed and hawed. No ; Jacob could
not marry Gretchen yet, for he had always said and sworn that the man who should marry
Gretchen should bring with him a plough that could go of itself, and plough three furrows
at once. If Jacob would show him such a plough as that, then he might marry Gretchen
and welcome. That was what the Herr Mayor said.

Jacob did not know how about that ; perhaps he could get such a plough, perhaps he
could not. If such a plough was to be had, though, he would have it. So off he went
home again, and the Herr Mayor thought that he was rid of him
now for sure and certain.

But when Jacob had come home, he went back of the
wood -pile and blew a turn or two on the little bone whistle

that the red stranger had given him.
No sooner had he done this
than the other stood before
him as suddenly as though
he had just stepped out 'of
the door of nowheres.

" What do you want,
Jacob ?" said he.

" I would like," said
Jacob, " to have a plough that '
can go by itself and plough
three furrows at once."

" That you shall have," said
the red one. Then he thrust
his hand into his breeches pock-
et, and drew forth the prettiest
little plough that you ever saw.

He stood it on the ground before Jacob, and it grew large as you see it in the picture.
" Plough away," said he, and then he went back again whither he had come.

So Jacob laid his hands to the plough and — whisk ! — away it went like John Storm-
wetter's colt, with Jacob behind it. Out of the farm -yard they went, and down the road,
and so to the Herr Mayor's house, and behind them lay three fine brown furrows,
smoking in the sun.

When the Herr Mayor saw them coming he opened his eyes, you may be sure, for
he had never seen such a plough as that in all of his life before.

"And now," said Jacob, "I should like to marry Gretchen, if you please."
At this the Herr Mayor hemmed and hawed and scratched his head again. No ; Jacob
could not marry Gretchen yet, for the Herr Mayor had always said and sworn that the man
who married Gretchen should bring with him a purse that always had two pennies in it and
could never be emptied, no matter how much was taken out of it.

Jacob did not know how about that; perhaps he could get it and perhaps he could not
If such a thing was to be had, though, he would have it, as sure as the Mecklenburg folks

Jacob - shoots • at -

THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMAN. 5

brew sour beer. So off he went home again, and the Herr Mayor thought that now he was
rid of him for certain.

But Jacob went back of the wood-pile and blew on his bone whistle again, and once
more the red one came at his bidding.

"What will you have now?" said he to Jacob.

" I should like," said Jacob, " to have a purse which shall always have two pennies in it,
no matter how much I take out of it."

" That you shall have," said the red one; whereupon he thrust his hand into his pocket,
and fetched out a beautiful silken purse with two pennies in it. He gave the purse to
Jacob, and then he went away again as quickly as he had come.

After he had gone, Jacob began taking pennies out of his purse and pennies out of his
purse, until he had more than a hatful — hui ! I would like to have such a purse as that.

Then he marched off to the Herr Mayor's house with his chin up, for he might hold his
head as high as any, now that he had such a purse as that in his pocket. As for the Herr
Mayor, he thought that it was a nice, pretty little purse ; but could it do this and that as
he had said ?

Jacob would show him that; so he began taking pennies and pennies out of it, until
he had filled all the pots and pans in the house with them. And now might he marry
Gretchen ?

Yes ; that he might ! So said the Herr Mayor ; for who would not like to have a lad
for a son-in-law who always had two pennies more in his purse than he could spend.

Jacob- and -thC'/Aagic

So Jacob married his Gretchen, and, between his plough and his purse, he was busy
enough, I can tell you.

So the days went on and on and on until the ten years had gone by and the time had
come for the red one to fetch Jacob away with him. As for Jacob, he was in a sorry state
of dumps, as you may well believe.

At last Gretchen spoke to him. " See, Jacob," said she, " what makes you so down in
the mouth?"

" Oh ! nothing at all," said Jacob,

But this did not satisfy Gretchen, for she could see that there was more to be told than
Jacob had spoken. So she teased and teased, until at last Jacob told her all, and that the
red one was to come the next day and take him off as his servant, unless he could ask him
a question which he could not answer.

6 PEPPER AND SALT.

" Prut !" said Gretchen, " and is that all ? Then there is no stuffing to that sausage, for
I can help you out of your trouble easily enough." Then she told Jacob that when the
next day should come he should do thus and so, and she would do this and that, and
between them they might cheat the red one after all.

So, when the next day came, Gretchen went into the pantry and smeared herself all
over with honey. Then she ripped open a bed and rolled herself in the feathers.

By-and-by came the red one. Rap ! tap ! tap ! he knocked at the door.

" Are you ready to go with me now, Jacob ?" said he.

Yes; Jacob was quite ready to go, only he would like to have one favor granted him
first.

" What is it that you want ?" said the red one.

"Only this," said Jacob: "I would like to shoot one more shot out of my old gun
before I go with you."

Oh ! if that was all, he might do that and welcome. So Jacob took down his gun, and
he and the red one went out together, walking side by side, for all the world as though
they were born brothers.

By-and-by they saw a wren. " Shoot at that," said the red one.

" Oh no," said Jacob, " that is too small."

So they went on a little farther.

By-and-by they saw a raven. " Shoot at that, then," said the red one.

"Oh no," said Jacob, "that is too black."

So they went on a little farther.

By-and-by they came to a ploughed field, and there was something skipping over the
furrows that looked for all the world like a great bird. That was Gretchen ; for the feath-
ers stuck to the honey and all over her, so that she looked just like a great bird.

THE SKILLFUL HUNTSMAN. 7

" Shoot at that ! shoot at that !" said the red one, clapping his hands together.

" Oh yes," said Jacob, " I will shoot at that." So he raised his gun and took aim. Then
he lowered his gun again. " But what is it ?" said he.

At this the red one screwed up his eyes, and looked and looked, but for the life of him
he could not tell what it was.

" No matter what it is," said he, " only shoot and be done with it, for I must be going."

" Yes, good ! But what is it ?" said Jacob.

Then the red one looked and looked again, but he could tell no better this time than
he could before. " It may be this and it may be that," said he. " Only shoot and be done
with it, for they are waiting for me at home."

" Yes, my friend," said Jacob, " that is all very good ; only tell me what it is and I will
shoot."

" Thunder and lightning !" bawled the red one, " / do not know what it is /"

" Then be off with you !" said Jacob, " for, since you cannot answer my question, all is
over between us two."

At this the red one had to leave Jacob, so he fled away over hill and dale, bellowing
like a bull.

As for Jacob and Gretchen, they went back home together, very well pleased with each
other and themselves.

And the meaning of all this is, that many another man beside Jacob Boehm
would find himself in a pretty scrape only for his wife.

wo Opinions

(Y® first- opinion-)
nojjy- chatterin-/lal6 -once-

ijB^I A« talking- gabllng-hairbrained-dunce

^cj". . , He-nodded- nfj'Qead-wifh'-a-modijrvalr'
^'v , And-;aidwgood'd^y" for-he-waj-rft- aware-
I • -' 6*>, That'fhe.sjgn-post-pointing-itj-finger-fhere

; Quofh-he"An-exceedingly- sultry-day-
is- more-like- -Jfune- frvan-fhe-nrs t-of-.

The-pojt- said- never- a- word-
"•i'VejUst- djopped-over-frorn -Lincoln shire •
^y-home-is-jn-fhe-Cafhedral-Spiro-
The-air-iJ-cooier-and-purer-fhe-higher.

^o u - get - a s • y o u • v e • dou b tle$ s-neard-"

-ch alter ed-wifh-never-a- stop.
And-cn-andon-till-you^d.' fhink -he-would-drop
dumb-aj •your-hatO— ^

An-Intelligent. creature -that-"
opinlonO

A -te r r i bl e • d ay -Tor- This -tim e- of- fhe-ye a r-
"Twould- make -at- Jaint- Anthony, 'fret'"

»>

CTh6n-louder)"I-5ay-i$-fhere^he]tering-near
"Wh at* can-t-you- answer- a- question' pray-

And-flining.nij-tail-Kewalked.away' ^ e£*f*

YOU.« r« a- fool* Ctnis» under -Ki j- breafh-} ^ M

\. ? • ».

L'. ENVOY-

I)- Circumstances- alter- cases .

Hwr&rd'/Pyle

~<:7ffis^ZB^gm$?~ ^x V

Song off

Foolish Old Woman

yo-foolifh-
old- woman

Ifawanold womangoupaflee/phill,

And fhe chuckled and laug hod , as fhe went,wifh awill .

And yot,as fhe went ,

Her body was bent,.
With a load as heavy as fins in lent.

'Ohlwhy do you chuckle^old woman^faysl,
As you climb up the hill- fide fo fteep and fo high? "
u Becaufe ,do n't you fee A
rilprelbntlybe,
Atfhotopoffhehill.He!he[nray3 fhe.

I faw fho old woman g° downward agalru
And fhe eaflly travelled , wifh never apaln;

Yet fhe loud I y cried ,

Andguflilyflghed,
And groaned , though frie road was lev&l and wide.

"Oh! why,my old woman ," fays I ,"do you weep,
Whenyou laughed,as you climbed up fhe hi Il-flde fo

o! I am vexed, flecp

Becaufe I expect? **
5ay$fhe,<cl£hall ache iaclimbin^ fie nexL

Newspaper Puff

news-
paper-

1 weive geef©

In a row
Oofhefe
Always go}.
D°wn=hill
They meander,
Tail to bill j
Firft the gander.
S° they ft al Red,
Bold as braf* T
As they walked
TO fhe grafs.

.Suddenly
Stopped fhefhrong;
Plain t° fee

'r wrong.
-, fhcre is
Some thing white!
]SJb quiz ;
Clear toTight.

CTwill amufe
When you're told
"Twa* a nevrs -
Paper old.)

/'
Gander fpoke.

Braver bird
Never broke
E gg,Pv© heard:

tl5tand here
Steadily,
Never fear,
Wait for me. ^

F°rfh hewent,
Cautious,
Body bent ,
Head iov^,

Allfhereft
Stood faff,
Waiting for
What paffed,

"Wind came
Wifhacaper,
Caught fame
Dally paper.
Up it failed
Infheair;
Courage failed
Then and fhere
J cared well

Nearly fell
Into fits „

Offfheyfped,
Heiter-/kelt0r,
'Till fhcyVI fled

Poor geefei
Nevermind j
Ofher geefe^
Onecartfind,
Cut the fame

caper
At empty wind
In a paper.

H-Pyle.

• . • , I

GLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL

STAFF ^

Showing how one should not seek to take
more than one can carry |

HANS and Claus were born brothers. Hans
was the elder and Claus was the younger;

Hans was the richer and Claus was the poorer —
that is the way that the world goes sometimes.

Everything was easy for Hans at home ; he
drank much beer, and had sausages and white bread

three times a day ; but Claus worked and worked, and no luck came of it — that, also, is
the way that the world goes sometimes.

One time Claus spoke to Hans of this matter. " See, Hans," said he, " you should
give me some money, for that which belongs to one brother should help the other."

But Hans saw through different colored spectacles than Claus. No ; he would do
nothing of the kind. If Claus wanted money he had better go out into the world to look
for it; for some folks said that money was rolling about in the wide world like peas on a
threshing-floor. So said Hans, for Claus was so poor that Hans was ashamed of him, and
wanted him to leave home so as to be rid of him for good and all.

This was how Claus came to go out into the world.

But before he went, he cut himself a good stout staff of hazel-wood to help his heavy
feet over the road.

Now the staff that Claus had cut was a rod of witch-hazel, which has the power of
showing wherever treasure lies buried. But Claus knew no more of that than the chick
in the shell.

So off he went into the world, walking along with great contentment, kicking up little
clouds of dust at every step, and whistling as gayly as though trouble had never been
hatched from mares' eggs. By-and-by he came to the great town, and then he went to the
market-place and stood, with many others, with a straw in his mouth — for that meant
that he wanted to take service with somebody.

Presently there came along an old, old man, bent almost double with the weight of the
years which he carried upon his shoulders. This was a famous doctor of the black-arts.
He had read as many as a hundred books, so that he was more learned than any man in all
of the world — even the minister of the village. He knew, as well as the birds know when
the cherries are ripe, that Claus had a stick of witch-hazel, so he came to the market-

PEPPER AND SALT.

place, peering here and peering there, just as honest folks do when they are looking for a
servant. After a while he came to where Claus was, and then he stopped in front o£
him. " Do you want to take service, my friend ?" said he.

Yes, that was what Claus wanted ; why else should he stand in the market-place with a
straw in his mouth ?

Well, they bargained and bargained, and talked and talked, and the end of the matter
was that Claus agreed to sell his services to the old master of black-arts for seven pennies

a week. So they made their bargain, and off went the master with Claus at his heels.
After they had come a little distance away from the crowd at the market-place, the master
of black-arts asked Claus where he had got that fine staff of hazel.

"Oh, I got it over yonder," said Claus, pointing with his thumb.

But could he find the place again ?

Well, Claus did not know how about that ; perhaps he could, and perhaps he could not.

But suppose that Claus had a thaler in his hand, then could he find the place again ?

CLAUS AND NTS WONDERFUL STAFF.

Oh yes ; in that case Claus was almost sure that he could find the place again.

So, good. Then here was_ a bottle of yellow water. If Claus would take the bottle of
fellow water, and pour it over the stump from which he had cut his staff, there would come
seven green snakes out of a hole at the foot of the hazel-bush. After these seven snakes,
there would come a white snake, with a golden crown on its head, from out of the same
hole. Now if Claus would catch that white snake in the empty bottle, and bring it to the
master of black-arts, he should have not one thaler, but two — that was what the master
said.

Oh yes, Claus could do that ; that was no such hard thing. So he took the bottle of
yellow water and off he went.

By-and-by he came to the place where he had cut his hazel-twig. There he did as the
master of black-arts had told him ; he poured the yellow water over the stump of hazel
from which he had cut his staff. Then everything happened just as the other had said:
first there came three green snakes out of the hole at the foot of the hazel-bush, and after
they had all gone, there came a white snake, with a little golden crown on its head, and
with its body gleaming like real silver. Then Claus caught the white snake, and put it
into the bottle and corked it up tightly. After he
had done this he went back to the master of black-
arts again.

Now this white snake was what the folk call a
tomt-snake in that land. Whoever eats of a broth
made of it can understand the language of all the
birds of the air and -all the beasts of the field;
so nobody need wonder that the master was
as glad as glad could be to have his white
snake safe and sound.

He bade Claus build a fire of dry wood,
and as soon as there was a good blaze he set
a pot of water upon it to boil. When the
water in the pot began to boil, he chopped
up the white snake into little pieces and
threw them into it. So the snake boiled and
boiled and boiled, and Claus stared with won-
der as though he would never shut his eyes again.

Now it happened that just about the time that the broth was cooked, the master was
called out of the room for this or for that. No sooner was his back turned than Claus
began to wonder what the broth was like. " I will just have a little taste," said he to him-
self; "surely it can do no harm to the rest of the soup." So he stuck his finger first into
the broth and then into his mouth ; but what the broth tasted like he never could tell, for
just then the master came in again, and Claus was so frightened at what he had done that
he had no wits to think of the taste of anything.

Presently the master of black-arts went to the pot of broth, and, taking off the lid, began
smelling of it. But no sooner had he sniffed a smell of the steam than he began thumping
his head with his knuckles, and tearing his hair, and stamping his feet. " Somebody s had
a finger in my broth ! ! /" he roared. For the master knew at once that all the magic had
been taken out of it by the touch of Claus's finger.

PEPPER AND SALT.

As for poor Claus, he was so frightened that he fell upon his knees, and began begging:
" Oh ! dear master — " But he got no further than this, for the master bawled at him,

"You have taken the best,
You may have the rest."

And so saying, he threw pot and broth and all at Claus, so that if he hadn't ducked
his head he might have been scalded to death. Then Claus ran out into the street, for he
saw that there was no place for him to stay in that house.

THE-AAiTER- lirANGRY

Now in the street there was a cock and a hen, scratching and clucking together in the
dust, and Claus understood every word that they said to each other, so he stopped and
listened to them.

This is what they said:

The cock said to the hen, " Yonder goes our new serving-man."

And the hen said to the cock, " Yes, yonder he goes."

And the cock said to the hen, " He is leaving the best behind him."

And the hen said to the cock, " What is it that he is leaving ?"

And the cock said to the hen, " He is leaving behind him the witch-hazel staff that he
brought with him."

And the hen said to the cock, " Yes, that is so. He would be a fool to leave that behind,
yet he is not the first one to think that peas are pebbles."

As for Claus, you can guess how he opened his eyes, for he saw how the land lay, and
that he had other ears than he had before.

CLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL STAFF.

" Hui !" said he, " that is good ! I have bought more for my penny than I had in my
bargain."

As for the hazel staff, he was not going to leave that behind, you may be sure. So he
sneaked about the place till he laid hand on it again ; then he stepped away, right foot fore-
most, for he did not know what the master of black-arts might do to him if he should
catch him.

Well, after he had left the town, he went along, tramp ! tramp ! tramp ! until, by-and-by,
he grew tired and sat down beneath an oak-tree to rest himself a little.

Now, as he sat there, looking up through the leaves, thinking
of nothing at all, two ravens came flying and lit in the tree
above him. After a while the ravens began talking
together, and this was what they said :

The one raven said, " Yonder is poor Claus sitting
below us."

And the other raven said, " Poor Claus, did you
say, brother? Do you not see the witch-hazel lying
on the ground beside him ?"

The one raven said, " Oh yes ; I see that, but
what good does it do him ?"

And the other raven said, " It does him no
good now, but if he were to go home again and
strike on the great stone on the top of the hill
back of Herr Axel's house, then it would do him
good ; for in it lies a great treasure of silver and
gold."

Claus had picked up his ears at all this talk,
you may be sure. " See," said he, " that is the
way that a man will pass by a great fortune
in the little world at home to seek for a little
fortune in the great world abroad" — which
was all very true. After that he lost no
time in getting back home again.

" What ! are you back again ?" said Hans.

" Oh yes," said Claus, " I am back again."

" That is always the way with a pewter
penny," said Hans — for that is how some of
us are welcomed home after we have been away.

As for Claus, he was as full of thoughts as an
egg is of meat, but he said nothing of them to Hans.

Off he went to the high hill back of Herr Axel's house, and there, sure enough, was the
great stone at the very top of the hill.

Claus struck on the stone with his oaken staff, and it opened like the door of a beer
vault, for all was blackness within. A flight of steps led down below, and down the steps
Claus went. But when he had come to the bottom of the steps, he stared till his eyes
were like great round saucers; for there stood sacks of gold and silver, piled up like bags
of grain in the malt-house.

PEPPER AND SALT.

At one end of the room was a great stone seat, and on the seat sat a little manikin
smoking a pipe. As for the beard of the little man, it was as long as he was short, for it
hung down so far that part of it touched the stone floor.

" How do you find yourself, Claus ?" said the little manikin, calling Claus by his name.

" So, good !" said Claus, taking off his hat to the other.

" And what would you like to have, Claus ?" said the little man.

"I would like," said Claus, "to have some money, if you please."

" Take what you want," said the little man, "only do not forget to take the best with you."

Oh no; Claus would not forget the best; so he held the staff tighter than ever in his
fist — for what could be better than the staff that brought him there ? So he went here and
there, filling his pockets with the gold and silver money till they bulged out like the pockets
of a thief in the orchard ; but all the time he kept tight hold of his staff, I can tell you.

• Claus-and-fhe-Aanikin

When he had as much as his pockets could hold, he thanked the little manikin and
went his way, and the stone door closed behind him.

And now Claus lived like a calf in the green corn-field. Everything he had was of the
best, and he had twice as much of that as any of the neighbors. Then how brother Hans
stared and scratched his head and wondered, when he saw how Claus sat in the sun all day,
doing nothing but smoking his pipe and eating of the best, as though he were a born
prince ! Every day Claus went to the little man in the hill with his pockets empty, and
came back with them stuffed with gold and silver money. At last he had so much that
he could not count it, and so he had to send over to brother Hans for his quart-pot, so that
he might measure it.

But Hans was cunning. " I will see what makes brother Claus so well-off in the world
all of a sudden," said he ; so he smeared the inside of the quart-pot with bird-lime.

CLAUS AND HIS WONDERFUL STAFF.

Then Claus measured his gold and silver money in Hans's quart-pot, and when he was
done with it he sent it back again. But more went back with the quart-pot than came with
it, for two gold-pieces stuck to the bird-lime, and it was these that went back with the pot
to brother Hans.

" What !" cried Hans, " has that stupid Claus found so much money that he has to meas-
ure it in a quart-pot ? We must see the inside of this business !" So off he went to Claiis's
house, and there he found Claus sitting in the sun and smoking his pipe, just as though he
owned all of the world.

" Where did you get all that money, Claus ?" said Hans.

Oh ! Claus could not tell him that.

But Hans was bound to know all about it, so he
begged and begged so prettily that at last Claus had to
tell him everything. Then, of course, nothing would do
but Hans must have a try with the hazel staff also.

Well, Claus made no words at that. He was a
good-natured fellow, and surely there was enough
for both. So the upshot of the matter was that
Hans marched off with the hazel staff.

But Hans was no such simpleton as Claus ; no,
not he. Oh no, he would not take all that trouble
for two poor pocketfuls of money. He would have
a bagful ; no, he would have two bagfuls. So he
slung two meal sacks over his shoulder, and off he
started for the hill back of Herr Axel's house.

When he came to the stone he knocked upon
it, and it opened to him just as it had done for
Claus. Down he went into the pit, and there sat
the little old manikin, just as he had done from
the very first.

" How do you find yourself, Hans ?" said the
little old manikin.

Oh, Hans found himself very well. Might
he have some of the money that stood around the room in the sacks ?

Yes, that he might ; only remember to take the best away with him.

Prut ! teach a dog to eat sausages. Hans would see that he took the best, trust him
for that. So he filled the bags full of gold, and never touched the silver — for, surely,
gold is better than anything else in the world, says Hans to himself. So, when he had
filled his two bags with gold, and had shaken the pieces well down, he flung the one
over one shoulder, and the other over the other, and then he had as much as he could
carry. As for the staff of witch-hazel, he let it lie where it was, for he only had two
hands and they were both full.

But Hans never got his two bags of gold away from the vault, for just as he was
leaving — bang! came the stone together, and caught him as though he was a mouse in
the door; and that was an end of him. That happened because he left the witch-hazel
behind.

That was the way in which Claus came to lose his magic staff; but that did not mat-

22 PEPPER AND SALT.

ter much, for he had enough to live on and to spare. So he married the daughter of
the Herr Baron (for he might marry whom he chose, now that he was rich), and after
that he lived as happy as a fly on the warm chimney.

Now, this is so — it is better to take a little away at a time and carry your
staff with you, than to take all at once and leave it behind.

bree Fortunes

zYmerry young fhoemaker,

And a tailor,and a baker,
Went to feek fheir fortune*, for fhey had been told,

Where a rainbow touched fhe ground ,

Of It only could be found,)
Waj a>purffffhat'fhould be always full of gold

$o {hey traveled d ay by day,
Ina jolly, jocund way
Till fhe fhoemaker a pretty Jasj-espie-d j
"Whenquofh he,ultfeemj:torhe,
\ever, never be.

Battcc luck "flianfrib in all the world befidc.

So fhe ofherrfaid good-byet
And went on ,till by-andrby

T Key eypiotf a fhady i nn. befide fhe way ;
VVhcre fl^e- Hortefs fair,- awidow-
Jrt alone feclufion Kfcl> Qt\,

Her0iiluck T'fhe tallor-faid j"

So fhe baker jog^d along ,

All alone twi^vne*er a /ong ,
Or a joftjandTipfhfng tempted hir

But. he wont fltem. bad to worfb^

F°r he nevs?r founcf fh& pu rfe-,
And for ail 1 know "he*) \randering to-fliii day.

(5olrgafher fioTrvfhls (2»ng 1 4vo tried, to
" to tako fliofuok fl\atma.Y

e^tofallwiftilRKis way,
Chan tjpoiLfoj; an, Imaginary fhing-

enturesome Boldness

onturoforoe/ •

A tailor cam© a-walking by,
The fi re encourage inKis eye.

are you going, fir?* Said I

" I slewa.nv>ufe
Inour houfe,

fKcr tailors livo," faidhe,
"And not a Jack

Arnon^ fKe- pack
^X/rould daretodofKc like-, pardic!
Therefore , I 'm g°ing °ut to try
If fhere Lc gre/ater men fhan I ;
Orinfhe land
As bold a hand
At wielding brand a* I ,y°u (ec !n

The tailor came a-limping by
^/ifK \voful face ar\dclofl\e$ awry
And all his courage gone to pie .

u I met a knifcht

In armo r bright ,

And bade him (land and draw/'faid Ke
<CH0 rtraightway did
As he was bid,

A rid treated mo outragcoufly,
Sol (hall got me home again >
And probably fhall fhere remairb
Alittle man,
Sir, always can.
Be great wi£hfolkoflefi degree }*

uporficial-
Culture

I'l 1 tcl 1 of a certai n Q\ d d ame i

The fame
Hadiabeautifial pig gyj^whofe name.

\5</a$ Jam&-

-J.; and whoje beauty and worth ,
Fromfhe day of hii birfh,
"Were matters of po p u lar Tanrve ,

And hi5 claim
TO gentility no one- could blame .

, feeing his promife ,fhe fhoug"ht

She 'ought
TO have- him fufficiently taught

The art

Of deportment , to go
Into company ; f°
Amaflerofdamcing fhe- brought ,

Who\vas fraught
Wifh a flyle which the, piggiwi^ caught

S° hi* company manner* were rare

Hii care
Of/ocial obfervancej fhere

Would bear
Theclofeft jnfpection,
And not a re /lection
Could re (Ion hii actions, how o'er

You might care
TO examine 'em down to a hair.

Now.fhings went beau-ti-ful-ly,

Till he
Fell in love with a dame of degree;

Pardie-,'

"When he tried for tofpe/ak,
But could only fayrOw-e-e-kr*
whatever hii poii/h might be,

Why, dear me!
He was pig at the bottom ,y°u fee.

H.PYLE.

HOW DAME MARGERY TWIST

SAW MORE THAN WAS

GOOD FOR HER

Story that shows how one should hold
one's tongue as to what one sees

ow • Dame -/Margery- Twist- saw-

more • fhan- was -good- for* her

F one could always hold one's tongue as to
what one sees, one would be the better for it.
They are the wise people of this world who keep silence as to what they see; many such
there are who behold things such as neither you nor I may ever hope to look upon, and
yet we know nothing of this because they say nothing of it, going their own ways like com-
mon folks, and as though they saw nothing in an egg but the meat.

Dame Margery Twist of Tavistock town was not one of these wise folks who hold
their tongues ; she was a good, gossiping, chattering old soul, whose hen never hatched a
chick but all of the neighbors knew of it, as the saying goes. The poor old creature had
only one eye ; how she lost the other you shall presently hear, and also how her won-
derful tulip garden became like anybody else's tulip garden.

Dame Margery Twist lived all alone with a great tabby cat. She dwelt in a little cot-
tage that stood back from the road, and just across the way from the butcher's shop. All
within was as neat and as bright as a new pin, so that it was a delight just to look upon
the row of blue dishes upon the dresser, the pewter pipkins as bright as silver, or the
sanded floor, as clean as your mother's table. Over the cottage twined sweet woodbines, so
that the air was ladened with their fragrance in the summer-time, when the busy, yellow-
legged bees droned amid the blossoms from the two hives that stood along against the
wall. But the wonder of the garden was the tulip bed, for there were no tulips in all
England like them, and folks came from far and near, only to look upon them and to
smell their fragrance. They stood in double rows, and were of all colors — white, yellow,
red, purple, and pied. They bloomed early, and lasted later than any others, and, when
they were in flower, all the air was filled with their perfume.

Now all of these things happened before the smoke of the factories and the rattling
of the steam-cars had driven the fairy folks away from this world into No-man's-land, and
this was the secret of the dame's fine tulip "bed. For the fairies dwelt among the flowers,
and she often told her gossips how that she could hear the fairy mothers singing their
babies to sleep at night, when the moon was full and the evening was warm. She had

32 PEPPER AND SALT.

never seen the little folks herself, for few folks are given to look upon them, and Dame
Margery's eyes were not of that nature. Nevertheless, she heard them, and that, in my
opinion, is the next best thing to seeing them.

Dame Margery Twist, as I said, was a good, kind, comfortable old soul, and was, more-
over, the best nurse in all of Tavistock town. Was any one ill, it was Dame Margery who
was called upon to attend them ; as for the dame herself, she was always ready to bring a
sick body into good health again, and was always paid well for the nursing.

One evening the dame was drinking her tea by herself with great comfort. It was
just at the dusking of the twilight; the latticed -window was opened, so that the little
breezes came rushing into the room, or stayed a while to play wantonly with the white
linen curtains. The tabby cat was purring in the door-way, and the dame was enjoying
the sweetness of the summer-time. There came a knock at the door. " Who is it ?" said
Dame Margery.

" It's Tommy Lamb, if you please, ma'am," said a little voice.

" Come in, Tommy," said the dame.

So in came Tommy Lamb, a little, curly-headed fellow, not any older than you. " What
is it you want, Tommy ?" said the dame.

" If you please, ma'am, there's a little gentleman outside, no taller than I be ; he gave
me this box, and told me to tell you to rub your eyes with the salve and then to come
out to him."

HOW DAME TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HER. 33

The dame looked out of the window, but never a body stood there that she could
see. " Where is the gentleman, dearie ?" said she.

" Yonder he is, with a great white horse standing beside him," said Tommy Lamb,
and he pointed with his finger as he spoke.

The dame rubbed her eyes and looked again, but never a thing did she see but the
green gate, the lilac-bushes, and the butcher's shop opposite.
The truth of the matter is, that little children like you,
my dear, see things which we grown folks, with the
dust of the world in our eyes, may never behold.
" Well," said Dame Margery to herself, " this
is strange, for sure ! / see no little old gentle-
man in green." Then she opened the box
that she held, and looked into it and saw
that it was filled with a green salve. " I'll
rub some of it on my eyes, at any rate,"
said she ; whereupon she did so. Then
she looked again, and lo, and behold !
there stood a little old man, no taller than
Tommy Lamb. His face was as brown,
and as withered, and as wrinkled as a
winter's crab -apple left on the bare
tree when the frost is about. He was
dressed all in green from top to toe,
and on his head was a tall green cap,
with a bell at the peak, which tinkled
at every movement of his head. By
his side stood a great, tall, milk-white
horse, with a long tail and mane tied
with party-colored ribbons.

Dame Margery went out to the
little old gentleman in green, and
asked him what he would have
with her. He told the dame that
his wife was sorely sick, and that
he wanted her to come and nurse
her for the night. At this Dame
Margery hemmed and hawed and
shook her head, for she did not
like the thought of going out at
night, she knew not where, and
with such a strange little body.
Then the little man begged her and
pleaded with her, and his voice and his

words were as sweet as honey. At last he persuaded her to go, promising her a good
reward if she would nurse his wife back into her health again. So the dame went back
into the cottage to make ready for her journeying, throwing her red riding-cloak over her

PEPPER AND SALT.

shoulders, and drawing her thick shoes upon her feet. Then she filled her reticule with
a parcel of simples, in case they should be needed. After this she came out again, and
climbed up behind the little man in green, and so settled herself upon the pillion saddle
for her ride. Then the little man whistled to his horse, and away they went.

They seemed to fly rather than ride upon the hard ground, for the hedges and cottages
and orchards flew past as though in a dream. But fast as they went, the old dame saw
many things which she had never dreamed of before. She saw all of the hedge-rows, the
by-ways, the woods and fields alive with fairy-folk. Each little body was busy upon his
or her own business, laughing, chatting, talking, and running here and there like folks on
a market-day.

So they came at last to a place which the dame knew was the three-tree-hill ; but it
was not the three-tree-hill which she had seen in all of her life before, for a great gateway
seemed to open into it and it was into this gateway that the little man in green urged
the great white horse.

After they had entered the hill, Dame Margery climbed down from the pillion and stood
looking about her. Then she saw that she was in a great hall, the walls of which were
glistening with gold and silver, while bright stones gleamed like so many stars all over the
roof of the place. Three little fairy children were playing with golden balls on the floor,
and when they saw the dame they stopped in their sport and stood looking silently upon
her with great, wide-opened eyes, just as though they were little mortal children. In the

HOW DAME TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HER.

corner of the room was a bed all of pure gold, and over the bed were spread coverlets of
gold and silver cloth, and in the bed lay a beautiful little lady, very white and ill. Then
Dame Margery knew well enough that every one of these little people were fairies.

The dame nursed the fairy lady all that night, and
by cock-crow in the morning the little woman had ease
from her pain.

Then the little man spoke for the first time
since Dame Margery had left home. " Look 'ee,
Dame Margery," said he ; "I promised to pay
you well and I will keep my word. Come hith-
er !" So the dame went, to him as he had bid-
den her to do, and the little man filled her ret-
icule with black coals from the hearth. The
dame said nothing, but she wondered much
whether the little man called this good pay for
her pains. After this she climbed up on the
great horse again, and behind the little man, and
they rode out of the place and home, where they
were safe and sound ere the day had fairly broken.
But before the little man had left her he drew out an-
other little box just like the one that Tommy Lamb
had brought her the evening before, only this time
the box was filled with red ointment. " Rub
your eyes with this, Dame Margery," said he.

Now Dame Margery Twist knew but-
ter from cheese, as the saying is. She
knew that the green salve was of a
kind which very few people have
had rubbed over their eyes in
this world ; that it was of a kind
which poets would give their
ears to possess — even were
it a lump no larger than a
pea. So, when she took the
box of red ointment, she only
rubbed one eye with it — her left
eye. Her right eye she pretend-
ed to rub, but, in truth, she never
touched it at all.

Then the little man got upon his
horse again, and rode away to his
home in the hill.

After he had gone away, Dame Mar-
gery thought that she would empty her reticule of the dirty black coals; so she turned
it topsy-turvey, and "shook it over the hearth, and out tumbled — black coals ? No ; great
lumps of pure gold that shone bright yellow, like fire, in the light of the candle. The

PEPPER AND SALT.

good dame could scarcely believe her eyes, for here was wealth enough to keep her in
comfort for all the rest of her days.

But Dame Margery's right eye! I wish I could only see what she saw with that
right eye of hers ! What was it she saw ? That I will tell you.

The next night was full moon, and Dame Margery came and looked out over the fine
bed of tulips, of which she was very proud. " Hey-day !" she cried, and rubbed her eyes,
in doubt as to whether she was asleep or awake, for the whole place was alive with little
folks.

But she was awake, and it was certain that she saw them. Yes ; there they were —
little men, little women, little children, and little babies, as thick in the tulip bed as folks
at a wedding. The little men sat smoking their pipes and talking together; the little
women sat nursing their babies, singing to them or rocking them to sleep in cradles of
tulip flowers; the little children played at hide-and-seek among the flower-stalks. So the
dame leaned out of the window, watching them with great delight, for it is always a delight
to watch the little folks at their sports.

After a while she saw where one of the tiny fairy children hid himself under a leaf,
while the others who were to seek him looked up and
down, and high and low, but could find him
nowhere. Then the old dame laughed
and laughed to see how the others
looked for the little fellow, but
could not tell where he

&°efK- t<* . seei.fhe- merry

was. At last she could hold her peace no longer, but called out in a loud voice, " Look
under the leaf, Blackcap !"

The words were no sooner out of her mouth than, whisk ! whirr ! off they scampered
out of the garden and away — fathers, mothers, children, babies, all crying in their shrill
voices, " She sees us ! she sees us !" For fairies are very timid folk, and dread nothing
more than to have mortals see them in their own shapes.

So they never came back again to the dame's garden, and from that day to this her
tulips have been like everybody else's tulips. Moreover, whenever she went out the fairies
scampered away before her like so many mice, for they all knew that she could see them
with her magical eye. This, as you may see, was bad enough, but no other harm would
have come of it if she had only gathered wisdom at that time, seeing what ill came of her
speech. But, like many other old dames that I wot of, no sound was as pleasant to her
ears as the words of her own mouth.

Now, about a twelvemonth after the time that the dame had nursed the fairy lady, the

HOW DAME TWIST SAW MORE THAN WAS GOOD FOR HER. 37

great fair was held at Tavistock. All the world and his wife were there, so, of course,
Dame Margery went also. And the fair was well worth going to, I can tell you ! Booths
stood along in a row in the yellow sunlight of the summer-time, and flags and streamers
of many colors fluttered in the breeze from long poles at the end of each booth. Ale
flowed like water, and dancing was going on on the green, for Peter Weeks the piper was
there, and his pipes were with him. It was a fine sight to see all of the youths and maids,
decked in fine ribbons of pink and blue, dancing hand-in-hand to his piping. In the
great tent the country people had spread out their goods — butter, cheese, eggs, honey,
and the like — making as goodly a show as you would want to see. Dame Margery was
in her glory, for she had people to gossip with everywhere ; so she went hither and thither,
and at last into the great tent where these things of which I have spoken were all spread
out for show.

Then, lo and behold ! who should she see, gliding here and there among the crowd
of other people, but the little man in green whom she had seen a year ago. She opened
her eyes mightily wide, for she saw that he was doing a strange thing. By his side hung
a little earthen-ware pot, and in his hand he held a little wooden scraper, which he passed
over the rolls of butter, afterwards putting that which he scraped from the rolls into the
pot that hung beside him. Dame Margery peeped into the pot, and saw that it was half
full ; then she could contain herself no longer.

" Hey-day, neighbor!" cried she, "here be pretty doings, truly ! Out upon thee, to go
scraping good luck and full measure off of other folk's butter !"

38 PEPPER AND SALT.

When the little man in green heard the dame speak to him, he was so amazed that he
nearly dropped his wooden scraper. "Why, Dame Margery! can you see me then?"

" Aye, marry can I ! And what you are about doing also ; out upon you, say I !"

" And did you not rub your eyes with the red salve then ?" said the little man.

" One eye, yes, but one eye, no," said the dame, slyly.

" Which eye do you see me with ?" said he.

" With this eye, gossip, and very clearly, I would have you know," and she pointed to
her right eye.

Then the little man swelled out his cheeks until they were like two little brown dump-
lings. Puff ! he blew a breath into the good dame's eye. Puff ! he blew, and if the dame's
eye had been a candle, the light of it could not have gone out sooner.

The dame felt no smart, but she might wink and wink, and wink again, but she would
never wink sight into the eye upon which the little man had blown his breath, for it was
blind as the stone wall back of the mill, where Tom the tinker kissed the miller's daughter.

Dame Margery Twist never greatly missed the sight of that eye ; but all the same, I
would give both of mine for it.

All of these things are told at Tavistock town even to this day; and if you go thither,
you may hear them for yourself.

But I say again, as I said at first: if one could only hold one's tongue
as to what one sees, one would be the better for it.

Song of ye Gossips

One/ old maid,
AncLarvo

And another old maid - fhatS fhree-

And fhey were/ agoffi ping , I ^m afraid ,
v Ar fhey Tat fipptng fheirtoa,.

Thoytalkedoffhi5,
And fhey talked pffhat,
Infheufual goffrping \vay
il everybody was blacLa^yourhat,
And fhe only oner-white were fhey.

S^ 3

And
Fof fhefhird rhad gone into

tal kedin a\vay of fhat fhird^ld maid,
Which never would do to repeat.

all abac,
werc^b°fh away;

**Pv© never, yet met," ftiid iixe,-wlfh a g
"5 ach , fcandaloa$ talkcus

For np'matter
Or what fofli £ay to o
1$ fare t<> breed

Victim to Science

VICTIM

SCIENCES0

... were two wise physicians once, of glory and renown,
Who went to take a little walk nigh famous Concord town.
Oh! very^ery great and wise and learned men were fhey,
And wise analearned was thr talk, as they walked on fhr way.
And as they walked,and talkedand talked,fhey came towhre fhey
A Crow as black as any hat, a-sitting on y e ground . found

Ye C row was very, very sick, as you may quickly see
By just looking at ye picture th* i$ drawn hre by n\e.
Nowwhn yc doctors came to him they rnendea of thrpace,
And jald one untoye other, wHre's an interesting case j
Acasefh* shld be treated»and be treated speedily.
Ihave-yes,hereitl5-apill thl has been made by me.
Now,I nave had occasion— ?> Said yeofher,"Jn most cases
V^urpillf are excellently good, but hre, my friend, are traces
Ofa lasJltude^a langu^w your pills d<* hardly aid;
In short^friey'reramer violent for thy am afraid •
1 have atJncture—" Said yefirst,"Your tincture cannot touch
A case as difficult as fhS my pills are better, much *
**Your pills, $lr,are too violent. "" c«your tonic is too weak."
WA3 Ihave said, sir, In fh5 case-* "Permit me,sir,to speak?
And sofheyaraued long and high, and on, and on, an don,
Until fhey lost their tempers , ana anhour or m<>re had gone.
But Jong bcf ore their arguments yc question did decide,
YeCrow, notwalting fbp yeend, incontinently died

( // apparent . )

lvUl^^^\flP

lay and Earnest

arne

a-.

vcrdewy

Rufhed a mad-cap breeze atplay^
And the, dalfi&5,like fee bright

Staw at night,
Danced and twinkled inJu way.

,a tre® called to £he breeze i

"Little breeze,,
ou come and have a play ? "
And tf\e \vind uponJtj "w^ry

Stopped to play.

Then fhe leaver ,>vifh fudden rtilver,
5udden quiver,

- c ap bree z e
Wifli deJight.

Presently fhe breeze grew

For it cared to play n° longer.
So it flung the limb* about,
Andittoffed deleaves in rout,

Till it ro a red, a-Sfrvugh with thunder.
Then fho poor tTee gfoaried and bent ,
And the breez0,-a temper-rent
Leaves 'and branches frorr»iit5cr°wn;
Till,at laft,it,flung.It down,

Stripped , and bare , and torn afunder*

M.F.

TTe Story of one who took his
eggs to a good market

""V/ES, Peter is clever." So said his mother; but then
X every goose thinks her own gosling a swan.

The minister and all of the people of the village said Peter was but a dull block. Maybe
Peter was a fool ; but, as the old saying goes, never a fool tumbles out of the tree but he
lights on his toes. So now you shall hear how that Peter sold his two baskets of eggs for
more than you or I could do, wise as we be.

" Peter," said his mother.

" Yes," said Peter, for he was well brought up, and always answered when he was
spoken to.

" My dear little child, thou art wise, though so young now ; how shall we get money to
pay our rent?"

" Sell the eggs that the speckled hen has laid," said Peter.

" But when we have spent the money for them, what then ?"

" Sell more eggs," said Peter, for he had an answer for everything.

" But when the speckled hen lays no more eggs, what shall we do then ?"

" We shall see," said Peter.

" Now indeed art thou wise," said his mother, " and I take thy meaning ; it is this, when
we have spent all, we must do as the little birds do, and trust in the good Heaven." Peter
meant nothing of the kind, but then folks will think that such wise fellows as Peter and I
mean more than we say, whence comes our wisdom.

So the next day Peter started off to the town, with the basket full of nice white eggs.
The day was bright and warm and fair; the wind blew softly, and the wheat-fields lay like
green velvet in the sun. The flowers were sprinkled all over the grass, and the bees kicked
up their yellow legs as they tilted into them. The garlic stuck up stout spikes into the
air, and the young radishes were green and lusty. The brown bird in the tree sang,
" cuckoo ! cuckoo !" and Peter trudged contentedly along, kicking up little clouds of dust
at every footstep, whistling merrily and staring up into the bright sky, where the white
clouds hung like little sheep, feeding on the wide blue field. " If those clouds were
sheep, and the sheep were mine, then I would be a great man and very proud," said Peter.

4$ PEPPER AND SALT.

But the clouds were clouds, and he was not a great man ; nevertheless, he whistled more
merrily than ever, for it was very nice to think of these things.

So he trudged along with great comfort until high noontide, against which time he had
come nigh to the town, for he could see the red roofs and the tall spires peeping over the
crest of the next green hill. By this time his stomach was crying, "give! give!" for it
longed for bread and cheese. Now, a great gray stone stood near by at the forking of the
road, and just as Peter came to it he heard a noise. " Click ! clack !" he turned his
head, and, lo and behold ! the side of the stone opened like a door, and out came a little
old man dressed all in fine black velvet. " Good - day, Peter," said he. " Good - day, sir,"
said Peter, and he took off his hat as he spoke, for he could see with half an eye that this
little old gentleman was none of your cheese-paring fine folks.

" Will you strike a bargain with me for your eggs ?" said the little old man. Yes, Peter
would strike a bargain ; what would the little gentleman give him for his eggs ? "I will
give you this," said the little old man, and he drew a black bottle out of his pocket.

Peter took the bottle and turned it over and over in his hands. " It is," said he, " a
pretty little, good little, sweet little bottle, but it is not worth as much as my basket of eggs."

" Prut !" said the little gentleman, " now you are not talking like the wise Peter. You
should never judge by the outside of things. What would you like to have?"

" I should like," said Peter, " to have a good dinner."

" Nothing easier !" said the little gentleman, and he drew the cork. Pop ! pop ! and
what should come out of the bottle but two tall men, dressed all in blue with gold trim-
mings. " What will you have, sir ?" said the first of these to the little gentleman.

" A good dinner for two," said the little man.

No sooner said than done; for, before you could say Frederic Strutzenwillenbachen,
there stood a table, with a sweet, clean, white cloth spread over it, and on this was the
nicest dinner that you ever saw, for there was beer and chitterlings, and cheese and good
white bread, fit for the king. Then Peter and the little man fell to with might and main,
and ate till they could eat no more. After they were done, the two tall men took table
and dishes and all back into the bottle again, and the little gentleman corked it up.

" Yes," said Peter, " I will give you my basket of eggs for the little black bottle." And
so the bargain was struck. Then Peter started off home, and the little man went back
again into the great stone and closed the door behind him. He took the basket of eggs
with him ; where he took it neither Peter nor I will ever be able to tell you.

So Peter trudged along homeward, until, after a while, the day waxing warm, he grew
tired. " I wish," said he, " that I had a fine white horse to ride."

Then he took the cork out of the bottle. Pop! pop! and out came the two tall fel-
lows, just as they had done for the little old man. " What will you have, sir ?" said the
first of them.

" I will have," said Peter, " a fine white horse to ride."

No sooner said than done ; for there, before him in the road, stood a fine white horse,
with a long mane and tail, just, like so much spun silk. In his mouth was a silver bit; on
his back was a splendid saddle, covered all over with gold and jewels; on his feet were
shoes of pure gold, so that he was a very handsome horse indeed.

Peter mounted on his great horse and rode away home, as grand as though he were a
lord or a nobleman.

Every one whom he met stopped in the middle of the road and looked after him.

CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES.

" Just look at Peter !" cried they ; but Peter held his chin very high, and rode along with-
out looking at them, for he knew what a fine sight he was on his white horse.

And so he came home again.

" What didst thou get for thy eggs, my little duck ?" said his mother.

" I got a bottle, mother," said Peter.

Then at first Peter's mother began to think as others thought, that Peter was a dull
block. But when she saw what a wonderful bottle it was, and how it held many good things
and one over, she changed her mind again, and thought that her Peter was as wise as the
moon.

And now nothing was lacking in the cottage ; if Peter and his mother wanted this, it
came to them ; if they wished for that, the two tall men in the bottle fetched it. They
lined the house all inside with pure gold, and built the chimneys of bricks of silver, so that
there was nothing so fine between all the four great rivers. Peter dressed in satin and his
mother in silk, and everybody called him " Lord Peter." Even the minister of the village
said that he was no dull boy, for nobody is dull who rides on horseback and never wears
wooden shoes. So now Peter was a rich man.

PEPPER AND SALT.

One morning Peter said to his mother, " Mother, I am going to ask the King to let
me marry his daughter."

To this his mother said nothing, for surely her Peter was as good as any princess that
ever lived.

So off Peter rode, dressed all in his best and seated astride of a grand horse. At last
he came to the palace, which was finer than the handsome new house of Herr Mayor
Kopff. Rap ! rap ! rap ! Peter knocked at the door, and presently came a neat servant girl
and opened it to him. ." Is the King at home, my dear?" said Peter.

Yes, the King was at home ; would he come into the parlor and sit down ? So Peter
went into the parlor and sat down, and then the King came in, dressed all in his best
dressing-gown, with silver slippers upon his feet, and a golden crown upon his head.

" What is your name ?" said the King.

" Peter Stultzenmilchen," said Peter.

" And what do you want, Lord Peter," said the
King; for, as I have said, Peter was dressed in his
best clothes, and the old King thought that he was
a great lord.

Palace- upon- his* fine. Horse

" I want to marry your daughter," said Peter.

To this the King said " Hum-m-m," and Peter said nothing. Then the King said that
he had determined that no one should marry his daughter without bringing him a basket-
ful of diamonds, rubies, topazes, emeralds, pearls, and all manner of precious stones ; for he
thought by this to get rid of Peter.

" Is that all ?" said Peter. " Nothing is easier."

So off he went, until he came to a chestnut woods just back of the royal kitchen-gar-
den. There he uncorked his bottle. Pop ! pop ! and out came the two tall men.
"What will you have, sir?" said they. Peter told them what he wanted, and it was no
sooner said than done ; for, there on the ground before him, stood a basketful of all
kinds of precious stones ; each of them was as large as a hen's egg, and over all of them
was spread a nice clean white napkin. So Peter took the basket on his arm and went
back again to the palace.

But how the King did open his eyes, to be sure, and how he stared ! " Now," said
Peter, " I should like to marry your daughter, if you please."

At this the King hemmed and hawed again. No, Peter could not marry the Princess
yet, for the King had determined that no man should marry his daughter without bring-
ing him a bird all of pure silver that could sing whenever it was wanted, and that more
sweetly than a nightingale ; for he thought that now he should be rid of Peter, at any rate.

" Nothing easier," said Peter, and off he went again.

CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES. 51

When he had come to the chestnut woods, he uncorked his bottle and told the two
tall men what he wanted. No sooner said than done ; for there was a bird all of pure
silver. And not only that, but the bird sat in a little golden tree, and the leaves of the
tree were emeralds, and rubies hung like cherries from the branches.

Then Peter wrapped this up in his handkerchief and took it to the palace. As for the
King, he could not look at it or listen to it enough.

" Now," said Peter, " I should like to marry your daughter, if you please."

But at this the King sang the same tune again. No, Peter could not marry his daugh-
ter yet, for the King had determined that the man who was to marry his daughter should
first bring him a golden sword, so keen that it could cut a feather floating in the air, yet
so strong that it could cut through an iron bar.

" Nothing easier," said Peter, and this time the men of the bottle brought him such
a sword as he asked for, and the hilt was studded all over with precious stones, so that it
was very handsome indeed. Then Peter brought it to the King, and it did as the King
would have it — it cut through a feather floating in the air; as for the iron bar, it cut
through that as easily as you would bite through a radish.

And now it seemed as though there was nothing else to be done but to let Peter
marry the Princess. So the King asked him in to supper, and they all three sat down
together, the King and the Princess and Peter. And it was a fine feast, I can tell you,
for they had both white and red wine, besides sausages and cheese, and real white bread
and puddings, and all manner of good things ; for kings and princesses eat and drink of
the best.

52 PEPPER AND SALT.

As for Peter, he made eyes at the Princess, and the Princess looked down on her
plate and blushed, and Peter thought that he had never seen such a pretty girl.

After a while the King began to question Peter how he came by all these fine things
— the precious stones, the silver bird, and the golden sword; but no, Peter would not
tell. Then the King and the Princess begged and begged him, until, at last, Peter lost his
wits and told all about the bottle. Then the King said nothing more, and presently, it
being nine o'clock, Peter went to bed. After he had gone the King and the Princess put
their heads together, and the end of the matter was that the wicked King went to Peter's
room and stole the bottle from under the pillow where he had hidden it, and put one in its
place that was as empty as a beer barrel after the soldiers have been in the town ; for the
King and the Princess thought that it would be a fine thing to have the bottle for them-
selves.

When the next morning had come, and they were all sitting at their breakfast
together, the King said, " Now, Lord Peter, let us see what your bottle will do ; give us
such and such a kind of wine."

" Nothing easier," said Peter. Then he uncorked the bottle, but not so much as a
single dead fly came out of it.

" But where is the wine ?" said the King.

" I do not know," said Peter.

At this the King called him hard names and turned him put of the palace, neck and
heels ; so back poor Peter went to his mother with a flea in his ear, as the saying is. Now
he was poor again, and everybody called him a dull block, for he rode no great white
horse and he wore wooden shoes.

" Never mind," said his mother, " here is another basket of eggs from the speckled hen."
So Peter set off with these to the market town, as he had done with the others before.
When he had come to the great stone at the forking of the road, whom should he meet
but the same little gentleman he had met the first time. " Will you strike a bargain ?"
said he. Yes, Peter would strike a bargain, and gladly. Thereupon the little old man
brought out another black bottle.

" Two men are in this bottle," said the little old man ; " when they have done all that
you want them to do, say ' brikket-ligg ' and they will go back again. Will you trade
with me?" Yes, Peter would trade. So Peter gave the little man the eggs, and the
little man gave Peter the second bottle, and they parted very good friends.

After a while Peter grew tired. " Now," said he to himself, " I will ride a little ;" and
so he drew the cork out of the bottle. Pop ! pop ! out came two men from the bottle ;
but this time they were ugly and black, and each held a stout stick in his hand. They
said not a word, but, without more ado, fell upon Peter and began threshing him as
though he was wheat on the barn floor. " Stop ! stop !" cried Peter, and he went hopping
and skipping up and down, and here and there, but it seemed as though the two ugly
black men did not hear him, for the blows fell as thick as hail on the roof. At last he
gathered his wits together, like a flock of pigeons, and cried, "brikket-ligg! brikket-ligg!"
Then, whisk ! pop ! they went back into the bottle again, and Peter corked it up, and
corked it tightly, I can tell you.

The next day he started off to the palace once more. Rap ! rap ! rap ! he knocked at
the door. Was the King at home ? Yes, the King was at home ; would he come and sit
in the parlor?

CLEVER PETER AND THE TWO BOTTLES.

Presently the King came in, in dressing-gown and slippers. "What! are you back
again ?" said he.

" Yes ; I am back again," said Peter.

" What do you want ?" said the King.

" I want to marry the Princess," said Peter.

" What have you brought this time ?" said the King.

" I have brought another bottle," said Peter.

Then the King rubbed his hands and was very polite indeed, and asked Peter in to

breakfast, and Peter went. So they all three sat down together, the King, the Princess,
and Peter.

" My dear," said the King, to the Princess, " the Lord Peter has brought another bottle
with him." Thereat the Princess was very polite also. Would Lord Peter let them see
the bottle? Oh yes! Peter would do that; so he drew it out of his pocket and sat it
upon the table.

Perhaps they would like to have it opened. Yes, that they would. So Peter opened
the bottle.

Hui ! what a hubbub there was ! The King hopped about till his slippers flew off. his

PEPPER AND SALT.

dressing-gown fluttered like great wings, and his crown rolled off from his head and
across the floor, like a quoit at the fair. As for the Princess, she never danced in all of
her life as she danced that morning. They made such a noise that the soldiers of the
Royal Guard came running in ; but the two tall black men spared them no more than the
King and the Princess. Then came all of the Lords of the Council, and they likewise
danced to the same music as the rest. " Oh, Peter ! dear Lord Peter ! cork up your men
again !" they all cried.

" Will you give me back my bottle ?" said Peter.

" Yes ! yes !" cried the King.

" Will you marry me ?" said Peter.

" Yes ! yes !" cried the Princess.

Then Peter said " brikket-ligg !" and the two tall men popped back into the bottle again.
So the King gave him back his other bottle, and the minister was called in and married
him to the Princess.

After that he lived happily, and when the old King died he became King over all of
the land. As for the Princess, she was as good a wife as you ever saw, but Peter always
kept the bottle near to him — maybe that was the reason.

Ah me ! if I could only take my eggs to such a market and get two

such bottles for them ! What would I do with them ?

It would take too long to tell you.

Clever PGter>open$-^e-L7nli;cky'BoLda -fop

he Occident of Birth

e accident
of birfh-

U5edto5end,s°lamtold,
0\llnew£born babes

King FriedrichT^axQof Stultzenmannenkim,
Tor many years unto ye Saint dfd pray,

That hewould send unto his Queen and him*
A baby£>cy,tobeye King s°meday.

At laity e Saint ye King's petit ion heard,

And called to him a f°ber long-legged bird.

Qyofh he^Good WiihelmStorkOuchwau its name),

Here 1$ a baby boy to take away.
Itlsfor Fritz $ 5°bear hlmtoy^ jamev,

hi5Qjieen5wifliout delay.

For on& grow5 weary when one always hears
daily dinning inone'j

MowWilhelm Stork was old.and dull of wits,
Forage not alway? ^harpenswiidomimuch,

^o-what does he but bear ye gift to Fritz
Ye cobbler, who had half a $c ore of such.

And joyebeiby, through a blunder, pajjed

From being first of all, unto- y^last.

m)us I gather fhat a newborn Prince, j^
From new^bopn cobbler^ 5°nnewhat hard IP

For 'which of us could telly e difference,$lnce
Onefhuj experienced was mistaken so? '

AJjo, perhapj,/ Should be great, Instead

^to earn my dai ly bread

Romantic Adventures

of
Three Tailors

1 Romantic Adventures-ofThreeTailor s

Li tile- mervw ent»aj aggi n g.
Along.jrvfhe- sunshiny • weafh'er*

And-fh&reatwrii I e-

Aufhree-jol ly tailor -m en.al !• w ere> they.

As-you^d«find-in-a'dozen-of. years.
One^arriedfhesyardsticloanofher'f.

And- fhe*brave5&of*all:bore.fhe

Ho*»d.Py/e.

Theycame-w here -three-mil k.-
•maidMat' all-on-a«srile -

The-gra5*-it'Was-greervand'the-v
flowers^

•weather-
And-fhe-milkmaids-were-

all-together.

Then-fhey-^topped-on-fhe-High-
•way.fhose-fhree.gallant-men
For- they- never- Kad>seerva$-fair
J asses 'a.r-fher\

tai /or -men- three.
• And-the-one with'the-goodllest'

parfr .

We'are-all-of.uv good-men, gallant*

™ *** • •» ' ^

and.free-

An d-have-neveiyet-pl f § hled«our.hear b-
5o.pri thee-fai r«m ai d j-wi I lyou»marry.us'all •
por-our-hearts-fhey-be-great-mo'*. our-bocues* be*j

Then-up -jpake-fhe-ffrst'of' frie-fhree-pretty-dears-
"FVay « fe.1 1-what-your-fortunej^rn ay* be- s / r- "

' Thenyou* ve-not-enough-fortune-for-me - s i r-
For.rlGh.er-young-men'We^halI-mar ry • 1 -ween » "

Along-in-<he-5unjhiny ^weather*

ajeit-

A1!

r>^w hen-maictenj-are»wiou d-like • fhe -mifkm alden s -c old •

» »Ht i • — . • > --i . f 111

•fhe- tauori- J o-bp/d •

k/^

ancy and Fact

FAN CYAND

!P^

!a. fhepherd and a fhepherdefj,

They dwelt in Arcadee,
And fhey were dreffed in Watteau drefs,

S\°(i charming fop to fee- .

They 5 at upon the- <3ewy graft,

\Vifh bud* and bl°ff°m5 fet.
And £he fhepherd playeduniofhelafs,

Vpona flageolet -

It seemed to me as though ft was

A very pleasant fhing$
Particularly fo becaufe

The time of year-was Spring.

But,O! fhc gro u nd . was damp, an<
At leaf! , I have been Told ,

The fhepherd caught fhe lumbago,
The fhepherdefr,a cold,

^\y darling Child I fhe fact It
" That fhe Poet* often flng
Of fhose joys whfch in fhc practice
Are anoflker fort of fhing.

HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK

Story concerning one who would
have done better to let

Enough .
alone

ans * H&cklemann's • Luck

HANS HECKLEMANN had no luck at all.
Now and then we hear folks say that
they have no luck, but they only mean that their

luck is bad and that they are ashamed of it. Everybody but Hans Hecklemann had luck
of some kind, either good or bad, and, what is more, everybody carries their luck about
with them ; some carry it in their pocket-books, some carry it in their hats, some carry
it on their finger tips, and some carry it under their tongues — these are lawyers. Mine is
at this moment sitting astride of my pen, though I can no more see it than though it
was thin air; whether it is good or bad depends entirely as to how you look upon it.

But Hans Hecklemann had no luck at all. How he lost it nobody knows, but it is
certain that it was clean gone from him.

He was as poor as charity, and yet his luck was not bad, for, poor as he was, he
always had enough for his wife and his family and himself to eat. They all of them
worked from dawn to nightfall, and yet his luck was not good, for he never laid one
penny on top of the other, as the saying is. He had food enough to eat, and clothes
enough to wear, so his luck was not indifferent. Now, as it was neither good, bad, nor
indifferent, you see that it could have been no luck at all.

Hans Hecklemann's wife was named Catherine. One evening when Hans came into
the cottage with just enough money to buy them all bread and not a cracked farthing to
spare, Catherine spoke to him of this matter.

" Hans," said she, " you have no luck at all."

" No," said Hans, " I have not," which was the truth, as I have already told you.

" What are you going to do about it ?" said Catherine.

" Nothing at all," said Hans.

" Doing nothing puts no cabbage into the pot," said Catherine.

" It takes none out," said Hans.

" See, Hans," said Catherine ; " go to the old wise woman in the wood and talk to her
about it ; who knows but that she can tell you how and where you lost your luck ?"

" If I should find my luck it might be bad and not good," said Hans.

" It is worth having a look at," said Catherine ; " you can leave it where you find it if
it does not please you."

PEPPER AND SALT.

" No," said Hans ; "when a man finds his luck he has to take it, whether he likes it or no."
So Hans talked, but he had made up his mind to do as Catherine said, to go and see
the old wise woman in the wood. He argued with her, but he only argued with her to let
her know how little was her knowledge and how great was his. After he had clearly
shown her how poor her advice was, he took it. Many other men are like Hans Heck-
lemann.

So, early the next morning, Hans jogged along to the old wise woman's cottage, while
the day was sweet and fresh. The hedgerows were covered all over with white blossoms,
as though it was with so much snow ; the cuckoo was singing among the budding branch-
es, and the little flowers were looking up everywhere with their bright faces. "Surely,"
said Hans to himself, "if I find my luck on this day, it must be good and not ill."

So he came to the little red cottage at the edge of the wood wherein lived the wise
woman who knew many things and one. Hans scraped his feet on the stones until
they were clean, and then he knocked at the door.

" Come in," said the old wise woman.
She was as strange an old woman as
one could hope to see in a lifetime. Her
nose bent down to meet her chin,
and her chin bent up to reach her
nose ; her face was gray with great
age, and her hair was as white as
snow. She wore a long red cloak
over her shoulders, and a great
black cat sat on the back of her
chair.

" What do you want, Son
Hans?" said she.

" I want to find my luck,
mother," said Hans.

" Where did you lose it, Son
Hans ?" said she.

" That I do not know, mother," said Hans.
Then the old wise woman said " Hum-m-m !"
in a very thoughtful voice, and Hans said nothing at all.

After a while she spoke again. " Have you enough to eat ?" said she.
" Oh yes !" said Hans.
" Have you enough to drink ?" said she.
" Plenty of water, enough of milk, but no beer," said Hans.
" Have you enough clothes to cover you ?" said she.
" Oh yes !" said Hans.

" Are you warm enough in winter ?" said she.
" Oh yes !" said Hans.

" Then you had better leave well enough alone," said she, " for luck can give you
nothing more."

" But it might put money into my pocket," said Hans.

" And it might take away the good things that you already have," said she.

HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK.

"All the same, I should like to find it again," said Hans; "if I could only lay my
hands on it I might make good out of it, even if it is bad."

" I doubt that," said the old wise woman. Nevertheless, she saw that Hans was set in
his own way, and that he only talked stiffness into his stubbornness. So she arose from
her chair with much groaning, for her joints were stiffened with age, and limping to a
closet in the wall she brought a book thence. Then she ran her finger down one page
and up another, until she had found that which she sought. When she had found it she
spoke :

" Son Hans, you lost your luck three years ago when you were coming from the fair
at Kneitlingen. You sat down on the overturned cross that lies where three roads meet,
and it fell out of your pocket along with a silver shilling. Now, Hans, your luck was
evil, therefore it stuck to the good sign, as all evil things of that kind must, like a fly to
butter. Also, I tell you this: when an evil manikin such as this touches
the sign of the good cross, he becomes visible to the eyes of every-
body who chooses to look upon him. Therefore go to the stone
cross and you will find your luck running this way and that,
but never able to get away from it." So saying, the old
woman shut her book again. Then she
arose from her chair and went once
more to the closet in the wall. This

time she took from it a little sack woven of black goat's hair. " When you have found
your luck again, put it into this little bag," said she; "once in it, no evil imp will be able
to get out again so long as you keep the strings tied. And now good-bye !"

Then Hans slipped the little sack into his pocket, and set out for the overturned stone
cross where the three roads meet. When he had come to the place, he looked here and
there, and this way and that, but for a long time he could see nothing at all. At last,
after much looking, he beheld a little black beetle running hither and thither on the
stone. " I wonder," said Hans, " if this can be my luck."

So saying, he caught the little beetle betwixt his finger and thumb, but very carefully,
for he could not tell whether or no it might bite him. The beetle stuck to the stone as
though it had been glued there, but, at last, Hans pulled it away; then — lo ! it was not a
beetle that he held in his hand, but a little manikin about as long as your thumb and as
black as ink. Hans Hecklemann was so frightened that he nearly dropped it, for it kicked
and screeched and rolled its red eyes in a very ugly way as he held it. However, he
popped it into the little sack and pulled the strings tight, and there it was, safe and
sound.

That is what Hans Hecklemann's luck was like.

PEPPER AND SALT.

So Hans having his luck secure in the little sack began to bargain with it. "What
will you do for me if I let you out ?" said he.

" Nothing at all," snarled his luck.

"Very well," said Hans, "we will see about that."

So he carried it home with him, and threw sack and all into a nasty pot where Cath-
erine cast the scrapings of the dishes — the fat and what not that she boiled down into
soap now and then. There he left his luck to stay until the next day, and then he went
to it again. " What will you do for me if I will let you out now ?" said he=

" Nothing at all," snarled his luck.

" Very well," said Hans, " we will see about that." So he let him stay where he was
for another day. And so the fiddle played ; every day Hans Hecklemann went to his luck
and asked it what it would give him if he would let it out, and every day his luck said
nothing ; and so a week or more passed.

At last Hans's luck gave in.

" See, Hans," it said one morning ; " if you will let me out of this nasty pickle I will
give you a thousand thalers."

" Ah no !" said Hans. "^Thalers are only thalers, as my good father used to say.
They melt away like snow, and then nothing is left of them. I will trust no such luck
as that!"

" I will give you two thousand thalers," said his luck.

HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK.

" Ah no !" said Hans ; " two thousand thalers are only twice one thousand thalers. I
will trust no such luck as that either !"

" Then what will you take to let me out, Hans Hecklemann ?" said his luck.

" Look," said Hans ; " yonder stands my old plough. Now, if you will give me to find
a golden noble at the end of every furrow that I strike with it I will let you out. If not —
why, then, into the soap you go."

" Done !" said Hans's luck.

"Done!" said Hans.

Then he opened the mouth of the sack, and — puff ! went his luck, like wind out of a
bag, and — pop ! it slipped into his breeches pocket.

He never saw it again with his mortal eyes, but it stayed near to him, I can tell you.
"Ha! ha! ha!" it laughed in his pocket, "you have made an ill bargain, Hans, I can tell
you !"

68 PEPPER AND SALT.

" Never mind," said Hans, " I am contented."

Hans Hecklemann did not tarry long in trying the new luck of his old plough, as you
may easily guess. Off he went like the wind and borrowed Fritz Friedleburg's old gray
horse. Then he fastened the horse to the plough and struck the first furrow. When he
had come to the end of it — pop! up shot a golden noble, as though some one had spun it
up from the ground with their finger and thumb. Hans picked it up, and looked at it
and looked at it as though he would swallow it with his eyes. Then he seized the handle
of the plough and struck another furrow — pop! up went another golden noble, and Hans
gathered it as he had done the other one. So he went on all of that day, striking furrows
and gathering golden nobles until all of his pockets were as full as they could hold. When
it was too dark to see to plough any more he took Fritz Friedleburg's horse back home
again, and then he went home himself.

All of his neighbors thought that he was crazy, for it was nothing but plough, plough,
plough, morning and noon and night, spring and summer and autumn. Frost and dark-
ness alone kept him from his labor. His stable was full of fine horses, and he worked
them until they dropped in the furrows that he was always ploughing.

"Yes; Hans is crazy," they all said; but when Hans heard them talk in this way he

only winked to himself and went on with his ploughing, for he felt that he knew this from
that.

But ill luck danced in his pocket with the golden nobles, and from the day that he
closed his bargain with it he was an unhappy man. He had no comfort of living, for it
was nothing but work, work, work. He was up and away at his ploughing at the first
dawn of day, and he never came home till night had fallen ; so, though he ploughed golden
nobles, he did not turn up happiness in the furrows along with them. After he had eaten
his supper he would sit silently behind the stove, warming his fingers and thinking of
some quicker way of doing his ploughing. For it seemed to him that the gold-pieces came
in very slowly, and he blamed himself that he had not asked his luck to let him turn up
three at a time instead of only one at the end of each furrow ; so he had no comfort in his
gathering wealth. As day followed day he grew thin and haggard and worn, but seven
boxes of bright new gold-pieces lay hidden in the cellar, of which nobody knew but him-
self. He told no one how rich he was growing, and all of his neighbors wondered why he
did not starve to death.

So you see the ill luck in his breeches pocket had the best of the bargain after all.

After Hans had gone the way of all men, his heirs found the chests full of gold in the

HANS HECKLEMANN'S LUCK. 69

cellar, and therewith they bought fat lands and became noblemen and gentlemen ; but
that made Hans's luck none the better.

y
From all this I gather:

That few folks can turn ill luck into good luck.
That the best thing for one to do is to let well enough alone.
That one cannot get happiness as one does cabbages — with money.
That happiness is the only good luck after all !

Two Wishes

HONKAM> • PYLE- DEi-er- DEL

HEM

An Angel went awalklng out one day, as IVe heard fald ,
And,comlng to a faggot-maker, begged acrutf of .bread
The fagg°t*maker gave a cruii and something rather queer
TO wafKitdownwifhali ,fromauta battle fhal ftoodnear.
The AngeLtfnifhed eating ; Sot Jbefcrehe left ,faid he ,
"Thou, fhalt have two v/ifhe> granted.'tor fhat fea haft given me.
One wilhfof that gooddrinkabl ^another f^r the bread."
Then he left fhefaggot- maker all amazed atwhat he'dfaid.

"I wonder,* fay* ^ie faggot-maker, after he had g,
ttlw°nder iffhere'j any trufhinfhat famelittle fong \n
5°,turnlng fhisfhfng <>verinh/smind,hecafl around,
'Till he faw the empty bottf e where i t lay upon fhe ground .
"IwifTVTaid hejuft'as a teft /Mfwhat he faid is fo,
Into -ftiat empty b°ttle, n°w, £hat T may/nraightway go.J>
Moiooner fald than done; for,-Whf/k/ into theflafk he fell ,
Where hefbundhimfelf as tightly padced as chicken in the fheil .
Invain he- kicked and twifted , and invainhe ho wled wifh pain;
For,in fpiteofaJl his efforts, he/ could not get out again.
fa^eing how fhe matter stood f he had to wifh once more .
When, out henipped,as eaflly as he'd gone in before.

If we had had two wlfhes, granted by an Angel fhus,
We would not throw away fhe good fo kind ly given us .
F°r firft we'd afk fbrwifdorn ,which,when^7e had inftore,
I'm very doubtful if we'd care to afk for anymore.

>itlMlltl>li>»i>''''JJll^M^

HE-

Verse with a Moral

but no Name

i/eman once, of Haarlem town,

•*•» •) • * * WAV^ 1 A v* 111 *• « ' • I •

\X7ont wandering up,and wandering down

And ever fhe> question afked:

'4If all fhe world was paper,
And if all fhe fea was ink ,

And if fhe trees were bread and cheese,
What would we do for drink ? "

Then all fhe folk,bofh great and final 1,

Began to beat fheir brain j,
Butfhoy could not anfwer him at all,
In fpitc of all fhe/ir pain*.

Butftill hewandered here and fhere*,
That man of great renown,

And rtill he queftioned everywhere,
The folk of Haarlem town:

" If all fhe world was paper,
And if all fhe feawaj ink,

And if fhe trees were bread and cheeje,
What would we do for drink? "

Full fhin hegrew,aj,day by day,
Ho toiled wifh mental flrain,

Until fhe wind blew him away,
And he no'er wa$

And now mefhinkj J hear you ;ay,
u Was ere a man fo fool jfh , pray,

Since first fhe world began?"
Ch,hu(h! riltellyou secretly,
DownEafl fhere dwells a man ,and he
Is afking quertions conrtantly,
That none can anfwer, fhat I see j
Yet hecs a wise -'wise- man!

Song of ye Rajah

and ye Fly

y e- Raj ah-

reat and rich beyond comparing
'WasfheRajah Rhamajaring,
A 5 he -went to take an airing

\Vifh his Court one fum me relay.
All were gay wifh green and yellow
And a little darky fellow
B°re amonftrous Inn-umbrella,

Forto fhade him on fhe way.

Now a certain fly, unwitting
Of fhis grandeur, came a-flittlng
To fhe Royal nofe, and fitting',

Twirled his legs upon the Tame.
Then fhe Rajah's eyes blazed fire
Atfhe infult,and fheire
Inhis heart boiled high and higher.

51ap! he.flruck-, but miffed his aim.

Then all trembled at his pafffon,
For he fpoke in furious fafhion.,
5a-wyeho-wyon flydiddaHi on

TO our auguft nofe ? " he faid
Now let all wifhin cur nation
"Wage awarwifh out ceffationj-
"Warof b-lood, ex- ter-mi-nation*, "^

Until every fly is dead.'!.'!"

fhewhile this war.waf raging.
That fhe Raj ah was a-waging,
Things that fhould have been engaging

Hif attention went to pot.
So ho came at lafl to beting,
Though fhe- flies continued plaguing,

v>t (o cafy pegging
Out vexations

Fromthi^youmay fee-whataJl Kaveta expect,! \
\VhOjfightinsj frnall troubleJ, great duties negloct.r

FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART

Showing how easy it is to let

Trouble into the House

and how hard to

turn it out

armer Griggs's

I D you ever hear of a boggart ? No !

Then I will tell you. A boggart is a

small imp that lives in a man's house, unseen by any one, doing a little
good and much harm. This imp was called a boggart in the old times,
now we call such by other names — ill-temper, meanness, uncharitableness,
and the like. Even now, they say, you may find a boggart in some houses.
There is no placing reliance on a boggart; sometimes he may seem to be
of service to his master, but there is no telling when he may do him an
ill turn.

Rap ! tap ! tap ! came a knock at the door.

The wind was piping Jack Frost's, for the time was winter, and it blew from the
north. The snow lay all over the ground, like soft feathers, and the hay-ricks looked
as though each one wore a dunce-cap, like the dull boy in Dame Week's school over
by the green. The icicles hung down by the thatch, and the little birds crouched shiver-
ing in the bare and leafless hedge-rows.

But inside the farm-house all was warm and pleasant; the great logs snapped and
crackled and roared in the wide chimney-place, throwing red light up and down the walls,
so that the dark night only looked in through the latticed-windows. Farmer Griggs sat
warming his knees at the blaze, smoking his pipe in great comfort, while his crock of
ale, with three roasted crab -apples bobbing about within it, warmed in the hot ashes
beside the blazing logs, simmering pleasantly in the ruddy heat.

Dame Griggs's spinning-wheel went humm-m-m ! hum-m-m-m-m ! like a whole hiveful
of bees, the cat purred in the warmth, the dog basked in the blaze, and little red sparks
danced about the dishes standing all along in .a row on the dresser.

But, rap ! tap ! tap ! came a knock at the door.

Then Farmer Griggs took his pipe from out his mouth. " Did 'ee hear un, dame ?"
said he. " Zooks now, there be somebody outside the door."

" Well then, thou gert oaf, why don't 'ee let un in ?" said Dame Griggs.

" Look 'ee now," said Georgie Griggs to himself, " sure women be of quicker wits
than men !" So he opened the door. Whoo ! In rushed the wind, and the blaze of the
logs made as though it would leap up the chimney for fear.

" Will you let me in out of the cold, Georgie Griggs ?" piped a small voice. Farmer

78 PEPPER AND SALT.

Griggs looked down and saw a little wight no taller than his knee standing in the snow
on the door-step. His face was as brown as a berry, and he looked up at the farmer with
great eyes as bright as those of a toad. The red light of the fire shone on him, and
Georgie Griggs saw that his feet were bare and that he wore no coat.

" Who be 'ee, little man ?" said Farmer Griggs.

" I'm a boggart, at your service."

" Na, na," said Farmer Griggs, " thee's at na sarvice o' mine. I'll give na room in
my house to the likes o' thee;" and he made as though he would have shut the door
in the face of the little urchin.

" But listen, Georgie Griggs," said the boggart ; " I will do you a good service."

Then Farmer Griggs did listen. " What sarvice will 'ee do me then ?" said he.

"I'll tend your fires," said the manikin, " I'll bake your bread, I'll wash your dishes,
I'll scour your pans, I'll scrub your floors, I'll brew your beer, I'll roast your meat, I'll
boil your water, I'll stuff your sausages, I'll skim your milk, I'll make your butter, Til
press your cheese, I'll pluck your geese, I'll spin your thread, I'll knit your stockings,
I'll mend your clothes, I'll patch your shoes — I'll be everywhere and do all of the
work in your house, so that you will not have to give so much as a groat for wages
to cook, scullion, or serving wench !"

Then Farmer Griggs listened a little longer without shutting the door, and so did
Dame Griggs. " What's thy name, boggart ?" said he.

FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART.

" Hardfist," said the boggart ; and he came a little farther in at the door, for he saw
that Farmer Griggs had a mind to let him in all of the way.

" I don't know " said Georgie Griggs, scratching his head doubtfully ; " it's an ill thing,
lettin' mischief intull the house ! Thee's better outside, I doubt."

" Shut the door, Georgie !" called out Dame Griggs ; " thou'rt letten' th' cold air intull
th' room."

Then Farmer Griggs shut the door, but the boggart was on the inside.

This is the way in which the boggart came into Farmer Griggs's house, and there

he was to stay, for it is no such easy matter getting rid of the likes of him when we
once let him in, I can tell you.

The boggart came straightway over to the warm fire, and the dog growled — "chur-r-r-r!"
— and showed his teeth, and the cat spit anger and jumped up on the dresser, with her
back arched and her tail on end. But the boggart cared never a whit for this, but laid
himself comfortably down among the warm ashes.

Now imps, like this boggart, can only be seen as the frost is seen — when it is cold.
So as he grew warmer and warmer, he grew thin, like a jelly-fish, and at last, when he
had become thoroughly warmed through, Farmer Griggs and the dame could see him
no more than though he was thin air. But he was in the house, and he stayed there,

PEPPER AND SALT.

I can tell you. For a time everything went as smooth as cream; all of the work of the
house was done as though by magic, for the boggart did all that he had promised ; he
made the fires, he baked the bread, he washed the dishes, he scoured the pans, he
scrubbed the floors, he brewed the beer, he roasted the meat, he stuffed the sausages,
he skimmed the milk, he made the butter, he pressed the cheese, he plucked the geese,

he spun the thread, he knit the stockings, he mended the clothes, he patched the shoes
— he was everywhere and did all of the work of the house. When Farmer Griggs saw
these things done, and so .deftly, he rubbed his hands and chuckled to himself. He sent
cook and scullion and serving maid a packing, there being nothing for them to do, for,
as I said, all of these things were done as smooth as cream. But after a time, and when
the boggart's place had become easy to him, like an old shoe, mischief began to play the
pipes and he began to show his pranks. The first thing that he did was to scrape the
farmer's butter, so that it was light of weight, and all of the people of the market town

FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART.

hooted at him for giving less than he sold. Then he skimmed the children's milk, so that

they had nothing but poor watery stuff to pour over their pottage of a morning.. He

took the milk from the cat, so that it was like to starve ; he even

pilfered the bones and scrapings of the dishes from the

poor house-dog, as though he was a very magpie. He

blew out the rush-lights, so that they were all in the

dark after sunset; he made the fires burn cold, and

played a hundred and forty other impish tricks of

the like kind. As for the poor little children, they

were always crying and complaining that' the

boggart did this and the boggart did that ; that

he scraped the butter from their bread and

pulled the coverlids off of them at night.

Still the boggart did his work well,
and so Farmer Griggs put up with his
evil ways as long as he could. At last
the time came when he could bear it no
longer. " Look 'ee, now, Mally," said he
to his dame, "it's all along o' thee that
this trouble's coome intull th' house. I'd
never let the boggart in with my own
good -will!" So spoke Farmer Griggs,
for even nowadays there are men here
and there who will now and then lay
their own bundle of faults on their wives'
shoulders.

" I bade thee do naught but shut the
door!" answered Dame Griggs.

" Ay ; it's easy enough to shut the
door after the trouble's come in !"

" Then turn it out again !"

"Turn un out! Odds bodkins, that's
woman's wit ! Dost 'ee not see that
there's no turnin' o' un out ? Na, na ;
there's naught to do but to go out
ourselves !"

Yes ; there was nothing else to
be done. Go they must, if they
would be rid of the boggart. So
one fine bright day in the blessed
spring-time, they packed all of their
belongings into a great wain, or cart, and
set off to find them a new home.

Off they trudged, just as you see in the

picture, the three little children seated high up in the wain, and the farmer and the
dame plodding ahead.

PEPPER AND SALT.

Now, as they came to the bottom of Shooter's Hill, whom should they meet but
their good neighbor and gossip, Jerry Jinks. "So, Georgie," said he, "you're leavin' th'
ould house at last ?"

" High, Jerry," quoth Georgie. " We were forced tull it, neighbor, for that black bog-
gart torments us so that there was no rest night nor day for it. The poor bairns'
stomachs are empty, and the good dame's nigh dead for it. So off we go, like th' field-
fares in the autumn — we're flittin', we're flittin' !"

Now on the wain was a tall, upright churn ; as soon as Georgie had ended his speech,
the lid of the churn began to clipper-clapper, and who should speak out of it but the bog-
gart himself. " Ay, Jerry !" said he, " we're a flittin'? we're a flittin', man ! Good-day to ye,
neighbor, good-day to ye ! Come and see us soon time !"

" High !" cried Georgie Griggs, " art thou there, thou black imp ? Dang un ! We'll all
go back tull th' old house, for sure it's better to bear trouble there than in a new place."

So back they went again — boggart and all.

By this you may see, my dear, if you warm an imp by your fire, he will soon turn
the whole house topsy-turvey. Likewise, one cannot get rid of a boggart by going from
here to there, for it is sure to be in the cart with the household things.

But how did Georgie Griggs get rid of his boggart ? That I will tell you.

He went to Father Grimes, the wise man, who lived on in a little house on the
moor. " Father Grimes," said he, " how shall I get rid of my boggart ?"

Then Father Grimes told him to take this and that, and to do thus and so with them,
and see what followed. So Farmer Griggs went to Hugh the tailor's, and told him to
make a pretty red coat and a neat pair of blue breeches. Then he went to William
the hatter's, and bade him to make a nice little velvet cap with a bell at the top of it.

FARMER GRIGGS'S BOGGART. 83

Then he went to Thomas the shoemaker's, and bade him to make a fine little pair of
shoes. So they all did as he told them, and after these things were made he took them
home with him. He laid them on a warm spot on the hearth where the boggart used to
come to sleep at night. Then he and his dame hid in the closet to see what would follow.

Presently came the boggart, whisking here and dancing there, though neither the
farmer nor the dame could see him any more than though he had been a puff of wind.

" Heigh-ho !" cried the boggart, " these be fine things for sure." So saying, he tried the
hat upon his head, and it fitted exactly. Then he tried the coat on his shoulders, and it
fitted like wax. Then he tried the breeches on his legs, and they fitted as though they
grew there. Then he tried the shoes on his feet, and there never was such a fit. So he
was clad all in his new clothes from top to toe, whereupon he began dancing until he
made the ashes on the hearth spin around with him as though they had gone mad,
and, as he danced, he sang:

" Cap for the head, alas poor head !
Coat for the back, alas poor back !
Breeks for the legs, alas poor legs !
Shoen for the feet, alas poor feet !
If these be mine, mine cannot be
The house of honest man, Georgie !"

So he went singing and dan'cing, and skipping and leaping, out of the house and away.
As for Georgie Griggs and his dame, they never heard a squeak from him afterwards.

Thus it was that Farmer Griggs got rid of his boggart. All I can say is, that if I
could get rid of mine as easily (for I have one in my own house), I would make him
a suit of clothes of the finest silks and satins, and would hang a bell of pure silver on the
point of his cap. But, alackaday ! there are no more wise men left to us, like good Father
Grimes, to tell one an easy way to get rid of one's boggart.

ride in distress

//Ill I 1 I I I

Pride/ in Diftrefs

iftrefj Polly Poppenj ay
Went to -take stwalk one day.
ORfhat morning (he was dreffed
In her very funday beft ;
Feafher/, frills and ribbon* gay,-

0 O O

PoJly Poppenj ay
.te naught .fhe folkcould fay.
Loud fhey cried "Beware fhe puddle !
Plump! ^heftepped jnt° fhe middle .
And a pretty plight ftralghtway
'Wa $ poor TAjftreft P^ppenj ay.

y^ftreft Polly Poppenj ay,
From your pickle ofriewnvay
Learnt0 curb fheir pride a little •,-
Learn to exercifeiheir wit* till
They are furon9paddle5 may
t, WiG Poppenj ay*

Sfi

rofession and Practice

nee, when 5aifrtjSwithin Chanced to be1
A -wandering in H ufvsrarp1 ,

_ _ ^p ° <D v J

e, being hungered, caft around
fee if fomefhing might be found
flay his ffomach-

Nearby flood

A little/houfe, befide a wood,
Where dwelt a worthy man, but poor.
Thifherhe wont; knocked

he good man came-, S aint5wifhin fEfcf ,
4 1 prifhee^give acruft of bread,, v»

TO eafemy hunger. "

"BrofherVquofh

T*U J «* T ,/**> II *" 1 /a

1 negood man , 1 am I adly loafn
To fay 'C here tears fiood on hij cheekj)

I Ve had no bread for weeks^and weeks

5avo what IVe begged . Had I one bit,

Fd glad ly give fhee/ half of it !'

"H°w;"faid fhe Saint " can one/ fo good

Go lacking of his daily food;
GO 1 acking means to aid fhe poor,
Yet weep toturnfhe/mfromhij door?
Here ;take fhi$ purie • /Aarkwhat I fay
TTiou'lt find \vifhi nit,everv
T \vo golden coins .'

Years paff ed ; once moj
aint5wifhin knocked upon fhe door.
The g°°d man came. He^d grown fat
And lufly, likeawell-fed cat-
^Thereat fhe5aintwaj pleafedjquofhhe,
Give me a crufl ,for Charity ! "
*A crufl, fhou faya? Hut.tut ! J
V/°uldft come a-begging here? I trow,
Thou lazy rafcal , 5\oucouldft find
Enough of work , had/I fhou a mind !
7TiJ fhine own fault , if fhou art poop!
c^B egone,jir \ " Bang! he/fhut fhe doop.

fcratched his head
* Well 1 4m _ humph !-.juft fo!^ hefaid.
tl"Ho\v very different ihe fact i$
'Twixt fhe profeffion and fhe practice!

_-C^>

HP"-

Tale of a Tub

Talo-ofa-Tub-

YOU may bring tpmlnd Pve, fungy°uaf°ng,
Ofamanof Haarlem town .

Ill fing of anofher,- 't will not take long;-
Of equally great renown-

' I've/ read'' fald he /'there's aland afar,

tart tree,
Where tarts may be plucked from fhe wi Id

And puddings like pumpkins grow,
Where candie/5, like pebble), lie byfhefea,_

Now, fhi^ier rildraigh tway %o ."

Now,whatdo youfhink 1've.heardit faid

Was hiiboat, hii o^r, his sail?
A tub , a fp°°n , and a handkerchief red ,
to bread bofh cairn send gale.

S° He sailed away, for a livelon

And fhe sun.\x/a5 warm and mild,

And fhellnall \vaves laughed as fheyfeemed
And fhe fea-gulls clamored wild.

So he sailed away, f°r a livelong day j
Till fhe \vina beg an to roar,

And fhe waves rojehigh , and, to briefly say,
He never was heard of more -

tLPYLE,

THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE

Story which means little
or nothing

he-Bird-in-fhe-Linden-Tree-

NCE there was a prince, and his name was John.
One day his father said to him, " See, John ; I am
growing old, and after a while the time will come when I
must go the way of everybody else. Now I would like to
see you married before I leave you."

" Very well," said the Prince, for he always answered the King in
seemly fashion ; " and who shall it be ?"

" Why not the Princess of the White Mountain ?" said the old King.
" Wrhy not, indeed ?" said the young Prince, " only she is too short."
" Why not the Princess of the Blue Mountain ?" said the old King.
" Why not, indeed ?" said the young Prince, " only she is too tall."
" Why not the Princess of the Red Mountain ?" said the old King.
" Why not, indeed ?" said the young Prince, " only she is too dark."
" Then who will you have ?" said the old King.

"That I do not know," said the young Prince, "only this: that her brow shall be as
white as milk, and her cheeks shall be as red as blood, and her eyes shall be as blue as
the skies, and her hair shall be like spun gold."

"Then go and find her!" said the old King, in a huff, for his temper was as short
as chopped flax. "And don't come back again till you've found her!" he bawled after
the Prince as he went out to the door.

So the Prince went out into the wide world to find such a maiden as he spoke of —
whose brow was as white as milk, whose cheeks were as red as blood, whose eyes were as
blue as the skies, and whose hair was like spun gold — and he would have to travel a
long distance to find such a one nowadays ; would he not ?

So off he went, tramp! tramp! tramp! till his shoes were dusty and his clothes were
gray. Nothing was in his wallet but a lump of brown bread and a cold sausage, for he
had gone out into the world in haste, as many a one has done before and since his day.

So he went along, tramp ! tramp ! tramp ! and by-and-by he came to a place where
three roads met, and there sat an old woman.

PEPPER AND SALT.

" Hui ! hui ! but I am hungry !" said the old woman.

Now the Prince was a good-hearted fellow, so he said to the old woman, " It is little
I have, but such as it is you are welcome to it." Thereupon he gave the old woman the
lump of brown bread and the cold sausage that was in his wallet, and the old woman ate
it up at a bite.

" Hui! hui! but I am cold!" said she.

" It is little that I have, but such as it is you are welcome to it," said the Prince,
and he gave the old woman the dusty coat off his back. After that he had nothing

more to give her.

" One does not give something for nothing," said the old
woman, so she began fumbling about in her pocket until
she found an old rusty key.
And the best part of the key
was, that whenever one look-
ed through the ring of it,
one saw everything just
as it really was and not
as it seemed to be.

Who would not give
his dinner and the coat
off his back for such a
key?

After that the Prince
stepped out again, right
foot foremost, tramp!
tramp ! tramp ! until
evening had come,
and he felt as hungry
as one is like to do
when one goes with-
out one's dinner. At
last he came to a dark
forest, and to a gray cas-
tle that stood just in the middle

of it. This castle belonged to a great, ugly troll, though the Prince knew nothing of that.
" Now I shall have something to eat," said he, and he opened the door of the castle
and went in.

Only one person was within, and that was a maiden ; but she was as black from head
to foot as Fritz the charcoal burner. The Prince had never seen the like of her in all
of his life before, so he drew the rusty key out of his pocket and took a peep at her
through the ring of it, to see what manner of body she really was.

Then he saw that she was no longer black and ugly, but as beautiful as a ripe apple ;
for her forehead was as white as milk, her cheeks were as red as blood, her eyes were
as blue as the skies, and her hair was like spun gold. Moreover, any one could see
with half an eye that she was a real princess, for she wore a gold crown on her head,
such as real princesses are never without.

THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE.

" You are the one whom I seek," said the Prince.

" Yes, I am the one you seek," said she.

"And how can I free you from your enchantment?" said he.

" If you will abide here three nights, and will bear all that shall happen to you without
a word, then I shall be free," said she.

" Oh yes, I will do that," said the Prince.

After that the black Princess set a good supper before him, and the Prince ate like
three men.

By-and-by there was a huge noise, and the door opened and in came an ugly troll
with a head as big as a bucket. He rolled his great saucer eyes around till he saw the
Prince where he sat beside the fire.

" Black cats and spotted toads !" bellowed he, " what are you doing here ?"

But to this the Prince answered never a word.

" We shall see whether or no there is sound in you !" roared the troll. Thereupon he
caught the Prince by the hair and dragged him out into the middle of the room. Then
he snatched up a great cudgel and began beating the Prince as though he were a sack of
barley-flour; but the Prince said never a word. At last the troll had to give over beating
him, for the morning had come and the troll was afraid the sun would catch him ; and
if that were to happen, he would swell up and burst with a great noise. " We shall see
whether you will come again !" said he, and then he left the Prince lying on the floor
more dead than alive ; and if anybody was sore in all of the world, the Prince was that
man.

PEPPER AND SALT.

After the troll had left the house, the black Princess came and wept over the Prince ;
and -when her tears fell on him, pain and bruise left him, and he was as whole as ever.
When he looked he saw that the black Princess's feet were as white as silver.

The next night the troll came again, and with him two others. " Black cats and
spotted toads !" bellowed he, " are you here again ?" Then he caught the Prince by the
hair and dragged him out into the middle of the floor, and all three of the trolls fell
upon the Prince and beat him with clubs, as though he had been a sack of barley- flour.
But the Prince bore this too without a word. At last the morning came, and they had
to give over beating him. " We shall see if you will come again," said the troll of the
house.

After the trolls had gone, the black Princess came and wept over the Prince as she
had done before, and when her tears fell on him he was made whole again. And now
the hands of the black Princess were as white as silver.

The third night the troll of the house came, and brought with him six others. Then
the same thing happened as before, and they beat the Prince with great cudgels as thick
as my thumb. At last the morning came, and they went away bellowing and howling,
for their enchantment had gone. As for the Prince, he lay upon the floor more dead
than alive, for he could neither see nor hear anything that happened about him.

Then the Princess came for the third time and wept over him, and he was whole
and sound again. As for the Princess, she stood before him, and now her brow was as
white as milk, and her cheeks were as red as blood, and her eyes were as blue as the
skies, and her hair was like spun gold. But the beautiful Princess had little or nothing
upon her, so the Prince wrapped her in a ram's skin that was in the troll's house. Then

THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE.

he turned his toes the way he had come, and started away for home, taking her along
with him.

So they went along and along till they had come so near to the King's house that
they could see the high roofs and the weathercocks over the crest of the next hill.
There the Prince bade the Princess to wait for him till he went home and brought
her a dress of real silver and gold, such as was fitting for her to wear. Then he
left her, and the Princess sat down beside the roadside to wait until he should come
again.

Now as the Princess sat there, there came along the old goose-herd of the palace, and
with her came her daughter; for they were driving the royal geese home again from
where they had been eating grass. When they saw the beautiful Princess, clad in her
ram's hide, they stared as though they would never shut their eyes again. Then they
wanted to know all about her — who she was, and where she came from, and what she sat
there for. So the Princess told them all that they wanted to know, and that she waited

there for the Prince to come with a dress all of silver and gold, which would suit her
better than the old ram's hide which she wore.

Then the old goose-woman thought that it would be a fine thing to have her daughter
in the Princess's place, so that she might have the dress of real silver and gold, and
marry the Prince. So the goose-herd's daughter held the Princess, and the old goose-
herd stripped the ram's hide off from her.

No sooner had they done this than the Princess was changed into a beautiful golden
bird, and flew away over hill and over valley. Then the goose-herd's daughter clad herself
in the ram's hide, and sat down in the Princess's place.

" Yes, my pretty little bird," said the old goose-herd, " thou wilt make a fine Princess !"
But, prut! she was no more like a Princess than I am, for she was squat, and round-
shouldered, and had hair of the color of tow.

Then the old goose -herd drove her geese away, and the goose -girl waited for the
coming of the Prince.

PEPPER AND SALT.

Sure enough, after a while the Prince came with a fine dress, all of real silver and
gold; but when he saw the goose-girl he beat his head with his knuckles, for he thought
that it was the Princess, and that she was enchanted again.

Why did he not look through the ring of his magic key?

Perhaps for this, perhaps for that — one cannot be always wise.

Then the Prince dressed the goose -girl in the fine dress of gold and silver, and
took her home with him. Hui ! how everybody stared and laughed when they saw
what kind of a Princess it was that the Prince brought home with him ! As for the
poor old King, he rubbed his spectacles and looked and looked, for he thought that this
was a strange sort of a wife for the Prince to make such a buzz about. However, he
said nothing, for he thought to himself that perhaps she would grow prettier by-and-by.

So orders were given for a grand wedding on Thursday, and the old King asked

all of the neighbors to come, and even those who lived at a distance, for this was to
be a very grand wedding indeed.

But the old goose-herd told her daughter to mix a sleeping powder with the Prince's
wine at supper, for, if the real Princess were to come at all, she would come that night.
So the goose-girl did as she was told, and the Prince drank the sleeping powder with
his wine, and knew nothing of it.

That night the golden bird came flying, and sat in the linden tree just outside of
the Prince's chamber window. Then she clapped her wings and sang :

THE BIRD IN THE LINDEN TREE. 97

"I wept over you once,
I wept over you twice,
I wept over you three times.
In the ram's skin I waited,
And out of the ram's skin I flew.

Why are you sleeping,

Life of my life?"

But the Prince slept as sound as a dormouse, and when the dawn came and the cocks
crew the golden bird was forced to fly away.

The next night the false Princess did as she had done before, and mixed a sleeping
powder with the Prince's cup of wine.

That night the golden bird came again, and perched in the linden tree outside of
the Prince's window, and sang:

"I wept over you once,
I wept over you twice,
I wept over you three times.
In the ram's skin I waited,
And out of the ram's skin I flew.

Why are you sleeping,

Life of my life ?"

But once more the Prince slept through it all, and when morning had come the golden
bird was forced to fly away.

i Phe-Old« King -Rejoices. at-His -Ne

Now it chanced that that night some of the folk of the King's household heard the
bird singing, and they told the Prince all about it. So when the third night came, and
the false Princess gave the Prince the cup of wine with the sleeping powder in it, he
threw the wine over his shoulder, and never touched so much as a drop of it.

That night the bird came for the third time, and sang as it had done before.

But this time the Prince was not sleeping. He jumped out of his bed and ran to the
window, and there he saw the bird, and its feathers shone like fire because they were of
pure gold. Then he got his magic key and looked through the ring of it, and whom
should he see but his own Princess sitting in the linden tree.

9& PEPPER AND SALT.

Then the Prince called to her, " What shall I do to set you free from this enchant
ment?"

" Throw your knife over me," said the Princess.

No sooner said than done. The Prince threw his knife over her, and there she stood
in her own true shape. Then the Prince took her to the King, and when the King saw
how pretty she was, he skipped and danced till his slippers flew about his ears.

The next morning the old King went to the false Princess, and said, " What should
be done to one who would do thus and so?"

To this the false Princess answered, as bold as brass, " Such a one should be thrown
into a pit full of toads and snakes."

" You have spoken for yourself," said the King ; and he would have done just so to
her had not the true Princess begged for her so that she was sent back again to tend
the geese, for that was what she was fit for.

Then they had the grandest wedding that ever was seen in all of the world. Every-
body was asked, and there was enough for all to eat as much as they chose, and to
take a little something home to the children beside. If I had been there I would have
brought you something.

What is the meaning of all this ?

Listen, I will tell you something.

Once there was a man, and he winnowed a whole peck of chaff, and got only three
good solid grains from it, and yet he was glad to have so much.

Would you winnow a whole peck of chaff for only three good grains ? No ? Then
you will never know all that is meant by this story.

Story of a Blue

China Plate

iLV

•PLATE

There was a C°chin Chinaman ,
\Vhosc name it was Ah- Lee/,
j. \nd the fame wa$ juft as fine a man
As you could wiflh. tptee ,
For hewa$ rich and flrong,
And hi* queuewa? extra long,

And he 1 i ved on vice and filh and chiccory

-^«4i

Which ne had alovoly daughter, .=

And hernarriewas/lai-Ri-An,
And the youfhful NVang \^ho sought he/r
Hand v^aj but -a poor y°ung man.)
So her haughty Yafher faid-^
fha! 1 never, never wed

Such apauper as this pennileft young. man)

S°fhe daughter and herlovor,

They eloped onefummer day,
\Vhich Ah-Lee he did difcover,
And purfued without delay;
But fhe G°ddef$ L°°,I*ve heard
Changed each lover to a>bird ,
And from tKe bad Ah-Lee they fle/w

Ah me! Ah-Lee 5 -the chance^*,,

That\ve allof u$ nnay know
Of unpleafant circumfteince?
We>j^ould like to flay, but oh!
The inevitable ihings
Wii 1 take u nt o them wi ng $ ,
And wil 1 fly where ^wemay never hope to
I would further like to ftate,
That fhe tale/ which L relate ,
YOU can tco °nanypLato
That'wairna.dc in CocKin\China^ years ago.

.*" ^i:..:
c*ff«»*« . . ,»\

1 here- wa* an old woman,as I've/ heard fny,

Who owned butafingle/goo£b.
Andfhe dame lived over towardTruxtonway,

Andihe animal ran. at loofc .
It cackled up and it cackled down,
DfHurblng fhe peace of all fhc town;
Gentle and fimple, .Knight and olowru
Fpomfrie dawn IP ff^ clofe o

Lived overtoxrard TVuxt«>nlwayf7
Who owned ft goat-wi^na (haggy black coat,

Ai Pve, heard fhc neighbours fay.
Audit was the fearofon&andall*,
Butting fh&great,and butting thermall,-
NO matter whom,- who happena&tofall
fhis evil goa.t*

i aid fhe fir(t<»ld woman jUThlv u
Should never ihu> run at [c

And 0* It happened when, tfer fhat-ihey
Would meet each ofher upon fhe way
They*d bicker and hidter fhe livelong day
In the key<?fafco]dfngnote.

nelghbourf, great stndfm^.11 ,
of bofh wltKgrievouJ tone,
Jga-fiter friat we
fault*

H.PYLE'.'

verconfidence

OVERCONFIDENC E. :

peacock sat »ny ® garden wall
(.See picture here t° ye right )5 1

Andye^>lkcame crowding- great and final 1-

For it chance J fhat none h*vy° town at all

Had ever {cen fuch af

Ifyou^d have been fhore perhaps you'd haven
Y^fol k talkfhus, as fhey looked atye bird, ; :

" O crickety! - Lawl- ,J

0 jirnmeny rnel-

1 never yet $awl-
\Vho ever did see

Such abeautiful sight infheworld before,
Since ye animals rr\arched./romycoldark d

O!Lookatyefpots

Inhistail! Andy0 lots
Of green and of blue in his beautifu living
I'd give a new Shilling to know if he ilngs ! ;J

Yc peacock fays ?" Surely, fhey Ml greatly.rejol
Tb hear but a touch of my delicate voice,

ife -rJ\atye carpenters

%/ * ""^t^ytr""

Whenfhcy fharpenihelriaW5l-Now,for clvarify '}

Give overihis fqualling t

And caterrr\awaUin

Cried all yc good people who chanced to be near?
Each fhrurt ing a finger-tip into each ear.

Y°U fee ycpoor dunce had attempted tofhine
fhafwas out °f his natural line

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT

Story concerning a certain thing
which we would all '
like to have

. .-.•'• V : - - 1

he-Apple>-°f- Contentment :•

kHERE was a woman once, and she had three daughters.
The first daughter squinted with both eyes, yet the
woman loved her as she loved salt, for she herself squinted with both eyes. The sec-
ond daughter had one shoulder higher than the other, and eyebrows as black as soot in
the chimney, yet the woman loved her as well as she loved the other, for she herself
had black eyebrows and one shoulder higher than the other. The youngest daughter
was as pretty as a ripe apple, and had hair as fine as silk and the color of pure
gold, but the woman loved her not at all, for, as I have said, she herself was neither
pretty, nor had she hair of the color of pure gold. Why all this was so, even Hans
Pfifendrummel cannot tell, though he has read many books and one over.

The first sister and the second sister dressed in their Sunday clothes every day, and
sat in the sun doing nothing, just as though they had been born ladies, both of them.

As for Christine — that was the name of the youngest girl — as for Christine, she
dressed in nothing but rags, and had to drive the geese to the hills in the morning and
home again in the evening, so that they might feed on the young grass all day and
grow fat.

The first sister and the second sister had white bread (and butter beside) and as
much fresh milk as they could drink; but Christine had to eat cheese -parings and bread-
crusts, and had hardly enough of them to keep Goodman Hunger from whispering in
her ear.

This was how the churn clacked in that house !

Well, one morning Christine started off to the hills with her flock of geese, and in
her hands she carried her knitting, at which she worked to save time. So she went along
the dusty road until, by-and-by, she came to a place where a bridge crossed the brook, and
what should she see there but a little red cap, with a silver bell at the point of it, hang-

io8

PEPPER AND SALT.

ing from the alder branch. It was such a nice, pretty little red cap that Christine
thought that she would take it home with her, for she had never seen the like of it in
all of her life before.

So she put it in her pocket, and then off she went with her geese again. But she
had hardly gone two -score of paces when she heard a voice calling her, "Christine!
Christine !"

She looked, and who should she see but a queer little gray man, with a great head
as big as a cabbage and little legs as thin as young radishes.

" What do you want ?" said Christine, when the little man had come to where she was.

Oh, th^ little man only wanted his cap again, for without it he could not go back
home into the hill — that was where he belonged.

The little man asks for his cap •

But how did the cap come to be hanging from the bush ? Yes, Christine would like
to know that before she gave it back again.

Well, the little hill -man was fishing by the brook over yonder when a puff of wind
blew his cap into the water, and he just hung it up to dry. That was all that there was
about it ; and now would Christine please give it to him ?

Christine did not know how about that ; perhaps she would and perhaps she would
not. It was a nice, pretty little cap; what would the little underground man give her
for it? that was the question.

Oh, the little man would give her five thalers for it, and gladly.

No; five thalers was not enough for such a pretty little cap — see, there was a silver
bell hanging to it too.

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT.

109

Well, the little man did not want to be hard at a bargain ; he would give her a hun-
dred thalers for it.

No ; Christine did not care for money. What else would he give for this nice, dear
little cap ?

"See, Christine," said the little man, " I will give you this for the cap;" and he showed
her something in his hand that looked just like a bean, only it was as black as a lump
of coal.

" Yes, good ; but what is that ?" said Christine.

"That," said the little man, "is a seed from the apple of contentment. Plant it, and
from it will grow a tree, and from the tree an apple. Everybody in the world that sees
the apple will long for it, but nobody in the world can pluck it but you. It will always
be meat and drink to you when you are hungry, and warm clothe? to your back when
you are cold. Moreover, as soon as you pluck it from the tree, another as good will
grow in its place. Now, will you give me my hat?"

Oh yes; Christine would give the little man his cap for such a seed as that, and
gladly enough. So the little man gave Christine the seed, and Christine gave the little
man his cap again. He put the cap on his head, and — puff! — away he was gone, as
suddenly as the light of a candle when you blow it out.

So Christine took the seed home with her, and planted it before the window of her
room. The next morning when she looked out of the window she beheld a beautiful
tree, and on the tree hung an apple that shone in the sun as though it were pure gold.
Then she went to the tree and plucked the apple as easily as though it were a goose-
berry, and as soon' as she had plucked it another as good grew in its place. Being
hungry she ate it, and thought that she had never eaten anything as good, for it tasted
like pancake with honey and milk.

By-and-by the oldest sister came out of the house and looked around, but when she
saw the beautiful tree with the golden apple hanging from it you can guess how she stared.

PEPPER AND SALT.

Presently she began to long and long for the apple as she had never longed for any-
thing in her life. " I will just pluck it," said she, " and no one will be the wiser for it."
But that was easier said than done. She reached and reached, but she might as well
have reached for the moon ; she climbed and climbed, but she might as well have climbed
for the sun — for either one would have been as easy to get as that which she wanted.
At last she had to give up trying for it, and her temper was none the sweeter for that,
you may be sure.

After a while came the second sister, and when she saw the golden apple she wanted
it just as much as the first had done. But to want and to get are very different things,
as she soon found, for she was no more able to get it than the other had been.

Last of all came the mother, and she also strove to pluck the apple. But it was no
use. She had no more luck of her trying than her daughters ; all that the three could do
was to stand under the tree and look at the apple, and wish for it and wish for it.

They are not the only ones who have done the like, with the apple of contentment
hanging just above them.

As for Christine, she had nothing to do but to pluck an apple whenever she wanted
it. Was she hungry? there was the apple hanging in the tree for her. Was she
thirsty ? there was the apple. Cold ? there was the apple. So you see, she was the
happiest girl bewixt all the seven hills that stand at the ends of the earth ; for nobody in
the world can have more than contentment, and that was what the apple brought her.

II.

One day a king came riding along the road, and all of his people with him. He
looked up and saw the apple hanging in the tree, and a great desire came upon him to
have a taste of it. So he called one of the servants to him, and told him to go and ask
whether it could be bought for a potful of gold.

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT,

III

So the servant went to the house, and knocked on the door — rap ! tap ! tap !

"What do you want?" said the mother of the three sisters, coming to the door.

Oh, nothing much ; only a king was out there in the road, and wanted to know if she
would sell the apple yonder for a potful of gold.

Yes, the woman would do that. Just pay her the pot of gold and he might go and
pluck it and welcome.

So the servant gave her the pot of gold, and then he tried to pluck the apple. First
he reached for it, and then he climbed for it, and then he shook the limb.

But it was no use for him to try ; he could no more get it — well — than / could if I
had been in his place.

At last the servant had to go back to the King. The apple was there, he said, and
the woman had sold it, but try and try as he would
he could no more get it than he could get the little
stars in the sky.

Then the King told the steward to go and get
it for him ; but the steward, though he was a tall
man and a strong man, could no more pluck the
apple than the servant.

So he had to go back to the King with an empty
fist. No ; he could not gather it either.

Then the King himself went. He knew that he
could pluck it — of course he could! Well, he tried
and tried; but nothing came of his trying, and he
had to ride away at last without having had so
much as a smell of the apple.

After the King came home, he talked and
dreamed and thought of nothing but the apple;
for the more he could not get it the more he
wanted it — that is the way we are made in this
world. At last he grew melancholy and sick
for want of that which he could not get. Then
he sent for one who was so wise that he had
more in his head than ten men together. This
wise man told him that the only one who could
pluck the fruit of contentment for him was the one
to whom the tree belonged. This was one of the
daughters of the woman who had sold the apple to him
for the pot of gold.

When the King heard this he was very glad ; he had his horse saddled, and he
and his court rode away, and so came at last to the cottage where Christine lived.
There they found the mother and the elder sisters, for Christine was away on the hills
with her geese.

The King took off his hat and made a fine bow.

The wise man at home had told him this and that ; now to which one of her daugh-
ters did the apple-tree belong? so said the King.

" Oh, it is my oldest daughter who owns the tree," said the woman.

112

PEPPER AND SALT.

So, good ! Then if the oldest daughter would pluck the apple for him he would
take her home and marry her and make a queen of her. Only let her get it for him
without delay.

Prut! that would never do. What! was the girl to climb the apple-tree before
the King and all of the court ? No ! no ! Let the King go home, and she would bring
the apple to him all in good time ; that was what the woman said.

Well, the King would do that, only let her make haste, for he wanted it very much
indeed.

As soon as the King had gone, the woman and her daughters sent for the goose-girl

to the hills. Then they told her that the King

wanted the apple yonder, and

that she must pluck

it for her sister to take to him ; if she did not do as they said they would throw her.
into the well. So Christine had to pluck the fruit; and as soon as she had done so
the oldest sister wrapped it up in a napkin and set off with it to the King's house, as
pleased as pleased could be. Rap ! tap ! tap ! she knocked at the door. Had she brought
the apple for the King?

Oh yes ; she had brought it. Here it was, all wrapped up in a fine napkin.

After that they did not let her stand outside the door till her toes were cold, I can tell
you. As soon as she had come to the King she opened her napkin. Believe me or
not as you please, all the same, I tell you that there was nothing in the napkin but a hard

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT. 113

round stone. When the King saw only a stone he was so angry that he stamped like
a rabbit and told them to put the girl out of the house. So they did, and she went home
with a flea in her ear, I can tell you.

Then the King sent his steward to the house where Christine and her sisters lived.

He told the woman that he had come to find whether she had any other daughters.

Yes ; the woman had another daughter, and, to tell the truth, it was she who owned
the tree. Just let the steward go home again and the girl would fetch the apple in a
little while.

As soon as the steward had gone, they sent to the hills for Christine again. Look !
she must pluck the apple for the second sister to take to the King; if she did not do
that they would throw her into the well.

and-Chrl«fne--i

So Christine had to pluck it, and gave it to the second sister, who wrapped it up in
a napkin and set off for the King's house. But she fared no better than the other, for,
when she opened the napkin, there was nothing in it but a lump of mud. So they
packed her home again with her apron to her eyes.

After a while the King's steward came to the house again. Had the woman no
other daughter than these two ?

Well, yes ; there was one, but she was a poor ragged thing, of no account, and fit
for nothing in the world but to tend the geese.

114 PEPPER AND SALT.

Where was she?

Oh, she was up on the hills now tending her flock.

But could the steward see her?

Yes, he might see her, but she was nothing but a poor simpleton.

That was all very good, but the steward would like to see her, for that was what
the King had sent him there for.

So there was nothing to do but to send to the hills for Christine.

After a while she came, and the steward asked her if she could pluck the apple
yonder for the King.

Yes; Christine could do that easily enough. So she reached and picked it as though
it had been nothing but a gooseberry on the bush. Then the steward took off his hat
and made her a low bow in spite of her ragged dress, for he saw that she was the one
for whom they had been looking all this time.

So Christine slipped the golden apple into her pocket, and then she and the steward
set off to the King's house together.

When they had come there everybody began to titter and laugh behind the palms
of their hands to see what a poor ragged goose-girl the steward had brought home with
him. But for that the steward cared not a rap.

" Have you brought the apple ?" said the King, as soon as Christine had come
before him.

Yes ; here it was ; and Christine thrust her hand into her pocket and brought it
forth. Then the King took a great bite of it, and as soon as he had done so he looked
at Christine and thought that he had never seen such a pretty girl. As for her rags,
he minded them no more than one minds the spots on a cherry; that was because
he had eaten of the apple of contentment.

And were they married ? Of course they were ! and a grand wedding it was, I can
tell you. It is a pity that you were not there ; but though you were not, Christine's

THE APPLE OF CONTENTMENT. 115

mother and sisters were, and, what is more, they danced with the others, though I
believe they would rather have danced upon pins and needles.

" Never mind," said they ; " we still have the apple of contentment at home, though
we cannot taste of it." But no; they had nothing of the kind. The next morning it
stood before the young Queen Christine's window, just as it had at her old home, for it
belonged to her and to no one else in all of the world. That was lucky for the King,
for he needed a taste of it now and then as much as anybody else, and no one could
pluck it for him but Christine.

Now, that is all of this story. What does it mean ? Can you not
see ? Prut ! rub your spectacles and look again !

be Force of Need

ife * ^^%M|^Sl5?

V& ''*fe£p-"- - 2§3&. ^ v .ip.J

->/ ^#'J /

oy, Robin! ho, Robin!

Ringing on the tree ,
I will give/ you white broad

If you will come to mo."

j^t

"Oh! the little breeze is finging
TO the nodding dailies white
And fhe/tendergrafs is fpringing,

And fhe/ ^un is warm and bright;
And my little mate is waiting

In fho budding hedge forme/;
$o,on fhe who[e,Pll n°t accept

YQUP kindly courtefy."

Hey, Robin! ho, Robin!

NOW fhe north wind j blow;
\Vherefore do you come here

In fho ice and jnow ? "

" The wind ij raw, fhe flowers are dead
The fpofl 15 on fhe fhopn ,
il gladly take a crust °f bread,
And come who re it is warm-"

Oh,Children! little Children!

H weyou ever chanced to fee
One beg fop crust

In bright profperity?

Disappointment

A Disappointment^

v i i ' / ' """iTi77rii\\i//i'j/r//\iv^TTTF^^\ V u\ v ' 1 1 \ i H « ^ *
prifhee,tell meVhrey°u live? \ X\
Oh Maid, -jo sweet and rare!" \\ v, %&

She '.>/ J/*7

J am ye miIle/5 daughter, *ir$
And live ju5t oyer {hre"

J7a

Of all y6yv\aidj lever saw,
YOU are beyond compare."
She

Y° ur w°rdj arc very fair"

If I might only dare/'

She

ouTnay ask me whf you please,
anyfhing'Icare .*'

Then will you marry me? For we
WTW make a g°°dJy pair/1

JAe
"Ifhankyou 5ir-,your offer, it

Is mojt extremely rare,
ut as I am already wed ,
•••* Youcr late,jiT»,foj» ye Fair*1

t fhs ye Bachelor walked
nd talked to him5eJf of fhf Lajj 50 gay-
Hep hair 15 very decidedly red)

And hep cyej have somewhat °f acajt /nherheadj '
^ And her feet are large •, and her hand 5 are coaLr5e-,
) And,vi7ifKout I'm mistaken, her voice 15 hoa.ne .
\ cTi5 a bargain of whchl am very we)/ rid;
1 am glad, on y6 whole , I e;capod a/ 1 did . '

Lfd Pyfc

sad story concerning one
innocent little Lamb and
four wicked Solves

,"\/e- fad flory concerning one
'••~ innocent little Lamb ~JJj^

wvJC,

and four wicked ^Wolves \

little lamb was gamboling,

Upon apleafant day,
And four grey wolves came fhamjjnng
And flopped to fee it play

In the sun*

S aid the lamb " Perhaps I may
Charm fhefe creature* with my Dla1
And they 41 1 1 et me g° away
When LVe done."

The wol ves , fhey sat aflniling at
The playful fhrn$ ,to fee
exceedingly beguiling that
It 5 pretty play could be.

See It hop!

But its ft rengfh began to wane,'
Though it gamboled on in
Till it finally wa
For to flop.

Oh! then there was a munc hi ng ,

Of that tender little thing,
And a crunching and a (crunching.
A3 you'ld munch a chicken wing

No avail

Was its cunning, merry play
For fh0 only fhing , they fay,
That was left of it that day ,

Wa$ it* tail.

So with me -, when I am done,
And the critics have begun,
All they'll leave me ormy fun
'LI be the tale.

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